UVB phototherapy: does it work

Posted Fri 22 Feb 2019 18.43 by psoriasis123

I'm getting this treatment in around 2 months, how long do the symptoms of the Psoriasis stay away after the treatment period, the doctor said it could be months all the way to years, and how can I prolong the "remission" time". And does this treatment help scalp psoriasis

Posted Sun 24 Feb 2019 11.39 by ches

Narrowband UVB (sometimes referred to as TL01 because of the bandwidth I guess) has been my saving for about 17 years (from age 50). I presume you are getting it from a clinic. When younger, after a UVB course, the psoriasis would drift back slowly and so I did a course about once every 15 months or so. I have psoriasis all over when it comes back and have had it from about age 25 - so pretty chronic. It has been the best treatment for me by far (of the many I have tried over the decades - creams, drugs etc. It is so easy to do the course (couple of minutes a couple of times a week) if you do not have far to travel. Also there are no drugs nor special behaviour (none of the avoiding sunlight nor taking pills that you have to do with P-UVA treatment.) Also I nearly always stop the course (you do not have to complete it) when the psoriasis has cleared. This means I keep the dosage of the TL01 pretty low (the treatment involves increasing the time you spend in front of the lamps by about 10% each visit - most start at about 35 seconds and work their way up til about 6 minutes or so. I am a non-medic but it is worth a try and good luck, I hope it suits you. Such a tricky condition isn't it.

Posted Sun 24 Feb 2019 12.12 by psoriasis123

Thank you, so UV is just temporary then, but 15 months is pretty good time to have almost no symptoms. I think my psoriasis is mild but it covers a lot of my body, thats why the doctor decided to give me UV treatment. I'm going to try and prolong the remmison as long as possible, by loosing a bit of weight, eating healthy and keeping stress free aswell as moistening twice a day

Posted Sun 24 Feb 2019 12.20 by ches

It may or may not work for you. Psoriasis is such a deeply personal condition to analyse, in my opinion. One can only try, Keeping your life healthy and as stress free as possible, as you suggest, sounds great.

Posted Sun 24 Feb 2019 19.27 by JennyM

I am at the moment having UVB treatment...have had 19 sessions so far. I started with 13 seconds and am now at 1 minute 43 seconds. I did go to 1 minute 57 seconds but this burnt my skin so I have to stay at 1 minute 43 until the end of the course. I have seen improvement on my elbows and back . My legs (shins especially) are proving to be stubborn but I am hoping that all areas will have improved by the end of the course. I don’t think it will all completely go though and have been told that in some cases it can come back with 4 weeks of stopping!! I am hoping mine will stay away for a lot longer than that. I know someone who had a course of treatment last year and hers is still clear 😊. I think as regards scalp psoriasis there is a special UVB treatment which is different to the general UVB course. With my UVB cubicle the top is open so light would not get to the scalp. Hope all goes well for you

Posted Mon 25 Feb 2019 16.57 by psoriasis123

thank you this is very helpful

Posted Tue 26 Feb 2019 13.08 by Ron (edited Tue 26 Feb 2019 13.09 by Ron)

I'm also part way through a course of UVB treatment .. this one entails a 15-minute bath first and it's the first time I've tried this but this is my 4th course of treatment. The first got rid of it and kept it away for a few months, the second got rid of it and kept it away for slightly longer, the third was not so successful and although it did get rid of it .. it was back within weeks. The first course was just in the 'sunbed' machine, the second involved taking tablets then in the machine (and wearing sunglasses until nightfall), the third was the same as the first and now this one that entails a bath and then in the machine. Just this morning however I was talking to another patient that I've been meeting each week and she is having a nightmare with it (the machine only version) to the point that this morning, after talking to the nurse and showing them her skin, she stopped the treatment half way through her course and is getting an appointment to go back to see the Dermatologist. I do think it's down to individuals, their skin type, do they burn easily, etc. but just stick with it .. if it works even for a few months it's a bonus in my opinion.

Posted Tue 26 Feb 2019 18.06 by psoriasis123

Ok, I have very olive skin so I hope I don't burn easily

Posted Tue 26 Feb 2019 20.55 by Sarah

Hi,I’ve just started the light treatment,I’ve actually burnt my behind and top of legs,Only went in it for 1 minute 4 seconds! I’m back tomorrow for 2nd session and the nurse said they will look at my skin to see if I will use it tomorrow or wait till Friday. I’m not going to give up and I may just have to do the treatment really slowly. Has anyone else burnt while doing this treatment?

Posted Tue 26 Feb 2019 23.24 by Ron

I personally haven't but I tan very easily, I know a couple of people that have, someone I work with and the lady I was talking to this morning .. our sessions are twice weekly, Tuesdays and Fridays, I've been fine yet she has burnt.

Posted Sat 23 Mar 2019 12.13 by Danceswithwolves

I thought normally they kinda tested a small section of skin first to check if you burn? A kinda small special lamp with different holes etc?

Posted Sat 23 Mar 2019 16.24 by Shakil

It didn't help me at all, just burned my skin and it's pretty dangerous

Posted Sat 23 Mar 2019 18.27 by ches

Re the last 2 posts. 1: Properly prescribed dosage (time x power of UVB (TLO1) light) by a skilled clinician should mean there will not be any burning. Burning suggests to me the clinician was not sufficiently skilled (or perhaps you were not using a UVB lamp or you were doing it yourself (which you should not do and the machines are only supposed to be sold with a doctor's prescription) 2: Yes, as suggested in the query two above, they should test out a very small area of skin (c 1cm square of masked off skin for me) at 3 or 4 different levels of exposure to find your correct skin type & its reaction, expressly so the correct dosage/timing can be worked out for you.

Posted Sat 23 Mar 2019 18.44 by ches

A note about this discussion which is titled and relates only to UVB. ....UVB light treatment is very different to and should not be confused with UVA (PUVA) light treatment. I note that in comment 7 from the top by Ron he talked about pills and avoiding sunlight etc. He must have been referring to UVA (PUVA) which is a wholly different light treatment, with a different type of wave band light, different consequences, side=effects and method. UVB (more precisely called narrrowband TLO1 UVB) is very different - and at least for me (non-medic) much preferable.

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