Drugs and lasers/IPLs

Excerpt

We read with interest the recent paper published by Kerstein et al. on laser therapy and photosensitive medication [1]. We welcome the review of the evidence which these authors presented. However, we feel it is important to correct what appears to be a misinterpretation of the 2009 guidelines from the British Medical Laser Association (BMLA) [2]. These guidelines were produced in response to a need to provide advice as some clinics had very long lists extending to two or three pages of drugs which were considered to be contraindications to laser treatment. The guidelines state “phototoxicity generally results from exposure to UVA (315–400 nm) radiation with some drugs showing sensitivity into the visible region of the spectrum up to about 460 nm. For laser/IPL devices emitting wavelengths above 500 nm there is very little likelihood of such a reaction for the vast majority of drugs”. We were therefore surprised to learn that many laser centres, including that of Kerstein et al. [1], were declining to treat patients who were on any medication with a known photosensitivity. This is not at all in accord with the BMLA guidelines. The only drugs which are listed as contraindications are those which are administered for photodynamic therapy (PDT). …