What is Photodynamic Laser Therapy with Allumera and how does it improve skin quality?
This is an ideal treatment for restoring the youthful, even-toned appearance of skin without surgery.  It is perfect for improving aging skin, skin with irregular dark pigmentation, or skin with excess redness. The treatment combines a topical, light absorbing agent (Allumera) and our elōs Aurora™ IPL laser. After 3 monthly treatments, your skin texture will be smoother, pore size will decrease, brown spots and red areas will fade, and your crow’s feet and fine lines will lessen. This treatment is ideal for a person who wishes more youthful, radiant skin without the downtime seen from more invasive procedures.

How does Dr. Davis perform an Allumera Treatment for Aging/Redness/Pigmentation of Skin?
The first step is to apply the Allumera Cream (hexyl-aminolevulinate). This is a derivation of a product we naturally produce in lower amounts. The Allumera Cream is left on your face (or chest) for at least 60 minutes to allow for absorption into your skin. With this step, there is some tingling but you should be comfortable. During this time you can enjoy reading magazines, doing work, or even taking a nap. After 30 minutes, we can apply anesthetic cream (available for purchase at our office), which most people opt for, prior to the laser treatment itself. Total treatment time generally runs just under 2 hours. We need to start this procedure either early in the morning, or early in the afternoon and your treatment time needs to be reserved in advance.

How many Allumera Laser sessions will Dr. Davis perform?
Generally 3 monthly treatments are needed for visible improvement. Full results will be seen by 3 months after completing the third session.

What are the limitations of Laser Therapy with Allumera?
Laser treatments should not be used on dark skinned individuals since pigmentation can be disrupted. But we can successfully treat lighter and olive skinned people. As with any laser procedure, we do not recommend having this treatment if you are pregnant. Although some people prefer to schedule these sessions to avoid the sunny summer months, we perform Allumera treatments all year long. When treating men, we avoid the hair bearing areas (chin, cheeks and upper lip) to avoid causing permanent hair removal. We would not want to hamper the ability of a man to grow a full beard or mustache at a later date.

What should I avoid before my Allumera Laser Therapy treatment?
Before your Allumera treatment, avoid the following:

• Anti-oxidant rich citrus fruits and extracts (especially from lemons and limes). These make skin more sensitive to light and should be avoided three days before any light therapy.
• Topical antioxidants used for anti-aging. These include products with vitamin C, coffeeberry, green tea, idebenone, etc. During the week before treatment, it is best to use

only plain moisturizers such as Cerave, Cetaphil, petrolatum (Vaseline), or Aquaphor (plain).

• Retinoids (derived from vitamin A) such as Retin-A, Renova, Refissa, Differin, Tazorac and anti-aging products with retinol (Afirm, Replenix with Retinol, etc.)

What can I expect right after my Allumera Laser treatment from Dr. Davis?
There is some down time with this procedure. You must stay out of the sun for at least 72 hours after your treatment, as the Allumera is still present in your skin and you can sunburn more easily. To shadow your face you must bring a wide- brimmed hat with you to the office on the day of your procedure. Strong sun block with titanium dioxide must be used after the treatment. Your face may become redder, giving you the appearance of a sunburn. Mild swelling is uncommon and should disappear within 2-3 days.

What is the difference between Photodynamic Laser Therapy with Allumera and Photodynamic Laser Therapy with Levulan?
Photodynamic Therapy with Levulan is used to treat sun damage as well as cystic acne. Levulan is a much stronger photosensitizing agent than Allumera, and causes a more severe reaction. Therefore, treatment with Levulan will create greater downtime. Levulan also penetrates deeper into the skin and can reach deep oil glands (treating acne) and also precancerous skin lesions (actinic keratoses). Allumera cannot penetrate as deeply, hence it is used only for cosmetic benefits.