Phototherapy

Narrow-Band Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) Phototherapy

Phototherapy is an effective and safe treatment for chronic inflammatory rashes including psoriasis and eczema, as well as for vitiligo and mycosis fungoides (a type of T-cell lymphoma of the skin). Phototherapy is most often indicated when large areas of the skin surface are affected by the above conditions.

Its mechanism of action relates to the suppression of immune cells in the skin by ultraviolet light. However the patient's internal immune system is not affected and thus the patient is at no increased risk of infection as with oral or injectable immune suppressant medications.

Ultraviolet B light is a form of ultraviolet light with a light spectrum of 290-320 nanometers (nm) and is the main cause of sunburns as well as a cause of skin cancer. Narrow-band ultraviolet B light is comprised of ultraviolet light of only 311 nanometers. This portion of the UV-B spectrum has been shown to be the most effective at treating inflammatory disorders of the skin and the risk of sunburn is greatly eliminated. A study including over 3800 patients treated with NB-UVB showed these patients had no increased incidence of non-melanoma or melanoma skin cancer associated with their phototherapy treatment.

Our office provides NB-UVB phototherapy treatments with the HOUVA 4, one of the fastest, most effective phototherapy units available. This unit is NOT A TANNING BOOTH. Specific protocols are in place to ensure patient safety and the HOUVA 4 is equipped with DermaSense technology, allowing for constant monitoring of UV and electrical power levels with real time reading.

Treatments are usually 3 times per week and have duration times of seconds to minutes depending of the ultraviolet light dose needed. Ultraviolet light doses are slowly increased so as to eliminate the risk of burning and provide the patient with the most effective, lowest dose needed to improve their specific skin condition.