Phototherapy

Type:Uv phototherapy Time:2016-01-12 9:10:47

Phototherapy simply means treatment with light. For treating skin disease, Narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) light is the most common type of phototherapy. This uses a special machine to emit UVB light at 311-312 nm, which is the most beneficial portion of natural sunlight for skin diseases. Importantly, it also avoids the UVA aspect of sunlight which is very damaging to skin, and can accelerate aging and progression towards skin cancers.

Broadband UVB phototherapy (290-320 nm), PUVA (Psorlaen and UVA), and UVA1 (340-400 nm) are other forms of phototherapy that are used less frequently in treating eczemas, but may be used in certain circumstances.

Phototherapy appears to work in several ways:

It directly reduces itch
It has an anti-inflammatory effect
It increases vitamin D production
It appears to help increase bacteria-fighting systems in the skin

While it is very safe and is arguably safer than even natural sunlight due to it��s more specific and controlled nature, it still can cause burns, increased aging, and increased risk of skin cancers over time.