New options for Actinic Keratoses

Laser Treatments
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Amy Forman Taub, MD, FAAD

As you know, Advanced Dermatology was a pioneer in the treatment of photodynamic therapy for actinic keratoses. But, there are a couple of new options for you to consider as well.

The Fraxel Dual (see above) was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of actinic keratosis. This laser can achieve a very dramatic change in the skin with a treatment for both the epidermis (top layer) and the dermis (middle layer) of your skin. This is important in that when we only treat the top layer of skin for precancerous cells there is often only a 1 to 2 year period before new abnormal cells recur. This may be due to a chemical signal coming from damaged cells in the middle layer of the skin. It may be possible to have longer lasting global improvement by treating both areas, which is accomplished with Fraxel Dual.

During a six month clinical study of 21 subjects at several dermatology centers around the country, there was an 83.5% average reduction of AK lesions using the Fraxel restore Dual’s 1927 nm wavelength. Treatments were shown to be effective both on and off the face, including the arms, hands and chest area. In our study, we found the Fraxel Dual to be the most effective in the treatment of multiple facial AKs. “This treatment is safe and requires minimal downtime while simultaneously improving other signs of photodamage,” said Roy G. Geronemus, MD, Director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. “While the 83.5% removal rate was comparable to other topical therapies and AK treatment options, Fraxel was overwhelmingly well-tolerated by all the patients and offers the added benefit of improving a patient’s’ overall skin quality, color and texture.”

Don’t forget to ask about all options when seeing your provider for treatment of your AKs. Although the Fraxel Dual treatment is FDA-approved for AK treatment, it is NOT covered by insurance, it is your choice to make treatment decisions and sometimes we are reluctant to bring up treatment options that require you to pay for your medical treatments.