Light therapy, also known as phototherapy, is the use of ultraviolet (UV) light for its healing effects. Phototherapy has been used worldwide for nearly a century to treat chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo and severe eczema.
While many treatments decrease the overall immune system, UV light can be used to decrease the local immune system in the skin. In conditions such as psoriasis, light therapy can also slow down the development of thick, scaly skin. UV light therapy is used in vitiligo for its additional ability to stimulate melanocytes, the skin's pigment-producing cells. This makes phototherapy a nice treatment option for just about anyone—especially those who don't like creams, those wanting a natural treatment, a steroid-free treatment, and those wanting additional control using a combination of therapies. Phototherapy is also a good option to consider for children and women during pregnancy.
How often
is phototherapy needed?
Phototherapy treatments are typically administered three times a week. In psoriasis, significant improvement may be seen within two weeks. For people with vitiligo, phototherapy treatment is more complex. The length of time you have had vitiligo, the body locations you want to treat and the activity of your vitiligo all influence the rate of repigmentation. Potential for response is greatest in those who have initiated treatment within 2 years of diagnosis, treat the face and neck, and who have stable, unchanged vitiligo without signs of activity. Those with signs of active vitiligo warrant more aggressive treatment often including full body phototherapy and oral steroids.
Risks
Phototherapy treatments as a whole have a number of risks that should be known.
For one, ultraviolet rays can cause progressive and gradual damage to your skin on a molecular level. This premature aging of the skin is also known as photoaging.
Exposure to high amounts of artificial ultraviolet light also increases your risk of developing skin cancer. The more treatments you undergo and the fairer your skin, the higher your risk of getting skin cancers.
Frequent phototherapy treatments can also lead to immunosuppression. Basically, light therapy can suppress your immune system, leaving your body open to diseases, infections, and skin cancers too.
Further, undergoing PUVA treatments for skin or photodynamic therapy for cancer also makes your eyes more sensitive to light. If your eyes aren't properly protected after such treatments, their sensitivity can lead to eye damage from exposure to sunlight or other bright lights, and the development of cataracts.
For more information related to phototherapy you may contact Dr. Manju Keshari who is a renowned Dermatologist and skin care expert at KEMPS Skin Clinic Ghaziabad.
