Psoriasis phototherapy is the most proven method to help aid damaged skin, with many doctors worldwide recommending this UVB light therapy because of the outstanding results they produce.
“NB-UVB light therapy is most effective when performed two or three times a week.” – Diane Peters, 2021
“UVB is an effective treatment for psoriasis. UVB penetrates the skin and slows the growth of affected skin cells. Treatment using UVB can include UVB phototherapy, excimer laser, or in-office or home UVB phototherapy.” – National Psoriasis Foundation
“UVB phototherapy is effective in clearing or controlling a variety of skin diseases.” – DermNet
Psoriasis is the most common skin disease treated with UVB, but cases of vitiligo, eczema and acne are also effective at clearing when using UVB treatment. UVB is most likely to be successful with acute guttate and thin plaque psoriasis, especially if there is a history of improvement on exposure to sunlight. The way in which UVB light works on the skin is this:
- UVB radiation is absorbed by DNA and urocanic acid.
- It alters antigen-presenting cell activity.
- In psoriasis, it lowers peripheral natural killer cell activity, lymphocyte proliferation and immunoregulatory cytokine production by Th1 (IL-2, IFN-alpha) and Th2 (IL-10) T-cell populations.
UVB results in erythema, which begins 2–6 hours after exposure, peaks at 12–18 hours after exposure and generally persists for 48 hours, hence why treatment should be used over a series of days and not continuously. Those who use these machines should receive increasing doses with each visit until erythema develops or until you reach the maximum dose. The maximum depends on phototype and local protocol.
A course is completed when the skin disease has cleared more than 90% compared to baseline, and maintenance therapy following this is not generally recommended (except perhaps for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). Plaques of psoriasis should be thinning by 12 treatments and by 30 treatments psoriasis should be 75% improved or better.
Phototherapy using UVB light is rarely used in the UK because of limited availability and the number of hospital visits required (the backlog with the NHS can leave you waiting a long time). But a study of 200 patients found the same results with home treatment. By hiring a machine or buying one, this source of treatment is available for you to use 24/7 for the duration until your skin has cleared. This takes away the struggle of balancing appointments with doctors or experimenting with other methods such as using sunbeds or creams. Sunbed skin damage is a real factor as to why you should NEVER use sunbeds as a skin remedy source.
All our UVB light therapy units are manufactured in England and fitted with genuine, Philips brand narrowband lamps. Only Philips UVB lamps are used in hospitals worldwide, so you can be rest assured that you are receiving only the best and professionally proven UVB technology (always check that the unit contains Philips Lamps). These UVB tubes are the only certified tube in the UK for the treatment of psoriasis, strongly recommended by doctors and dermatologists worldwide who use these themselves. The wavelength used by these machines is 311nm, which is commonly known as the therapeutic wavelength for psoriasis and vitiligo conditions, and therefore why it is recommended highly.
Here at Skin Matters Bristol, we do not charge VAT for those who suffer with chronic conditions. A chronic condition is a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term chronic is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. By not paying VAT, you will save 20% off your machine, which, depending on the machine size you purchase, could save you thousands of pounds. Make sure to contact us today for more information.