Podcasts

That “sandpaper” patch you keep rubbing might be more than dry skin. We sit down with board-certified dermatologist Dr. David Cleaver to talk about sun damage, actinic keratoses, and why outdoor life in rural communities can quietly build a lifetime of precancerous change. If you have a history of tanning, years of farm work, construction, or just a lot of time outside, this conversation will help you connect the dots between chronic UV exposure and the day-to-day reality of prevention.

We dig into photodynamic therapy (PDT), a light treatment that targets a whole field of sun-damaged skin, not just the spots you can see. We compare PDT with liquid nitrogen freezing and topical field therapy creams like 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod, including why “less homework” can matter for real patients with real schedules. We also break down red light versus blue light PDT, how depth of penetration plays into the choice, and why many practices treat more often in fall and winter when sun avoidance is easier.

You will hear the honest version of the patient experience too: incubation time, what the light can feel like, how cooling devices and protocol tweaks can improve comfort, and what recovery looks like over the following one to two weeks. We also talk about newer directions, including FDA-approved red light use for superficial basal cell carcinoma in select cases, plus other emerging and off-label areas dermatologists are watching.

If you want practical skin cancer prevention that goes beyond “watch and wait,” press play. Subscribe, share this with someone who lives outdoors, and leave a review to help more people find it. What would you want to know before trying PDT?

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in the Derm-it Trotter! podcast are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the guests’ or host’s institution or employers. The Derm-it Trotter! Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.