The skin disease psoriasis affects the life cycle of skin cells; the skin builds up and forms plaques that can be itchy and sometimes painful, according to the Mayo Clinic. The goal of treatment is to influence the life cycle of the skin cells to slow down the process and to smooth the skin. Light therapy with ultraviolet B, or UVB, rays, either alone or with other medications, has been found to be successful in treating psoriasis.
Sunlight
Sunlight contains both UVA and UVB light rays. According to the Mayo Clinic, exposure to sunlight can kill the activated T cells that cause the skin cell build-up and reduce scaling and inflammation. Patients with psoriasis should expose affected skin to sunlight for multiple, short exposures, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Preventing overexposure is important for these patients; also, other medications that may be taken for psoriasis may make the skin more sensitive to the sunlight.
UVB Phototherapy
Another way to obtain exposure to UVB light rays is through exposure to artificial light sources; this is called UVB phototherapy or broadband UVB. This form of therapy can be helpful in patients with mild to moderate psoriasis and can be used to treat patches of psoriasis or widespread disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. Side effects include redness and dry skin, which can be managed with moisturizers.
Narrowband UVB Therapy
Another form of UVB treatment is narrowband UVB therapy. This newer form of treatment may be more effective than other forms, according to the Mayo Clinic. The light from this type of source uses a specific spectrum of light from the broadband UVB for treatment. Patients using narrowband therapy can suffer more severe skin burns as a side effect if proper precautions are not taken.
Excimer Laser
Excimer laser is a type of laser that uses a high intensity beam of UVB light, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Physicians can use this laser to treat specific areas of skin affected by mild to moderate psoriasis. According to the Mayo Clinic, this therapy may require fewer skin treatments than other UVB therapies. Blistering and redness may be side-effects of this therapy.
Combination Light Therapy
Sometimes, doctors combine UVB therapies with other medication to increase the efficacy of the treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is typically used after traditional UVB therapies have failed. The use of coal tar and UVB therapy is called the Goeckerman treatment; another treatment called the Ingram regimen uses a coal tar bath and an anthralin-salicylic acid paste along with the UVB light.
