Puva Light Treatment For Psoriasis

Puva may also be a viable option for patients who have failed uvb therapy.

Puva light treatment for psoriasis.

But it takes about 16 to 19 puva treatments to put a psoriasis outbreak into remission. An estimated 75 percent of people using narrow band ultraviolet b uvb therapy which is the most common type. Puva psoralen and ultraviolet a radiation treatment has been used for decades to treat severe psoriasis. Eczema psoriasis graft versus host disease vitiligo mycosis fungoides large plaque parapsoriasis and cutaneous t cell lymphoma using the sensitizing effects of the drug psoralen.

This process called puva slows down excessive skin cell growth and can clear psoriasis symptoms for varying periods of time. Puva requires patient compliance with consistent treatments for 9 15 weeks to achieve maximal results. Puva is a tried and true phototherapy treatment for chronic plaque psoriasis. Repeated treatments are necessary.

The sensitized skin affected by psoriasis can then be treated by ultraviolet a radiation. Puva treatment is a very effective and safe treatment option for patients whose psoriasis is not well controlled on topical therapies alone. Topical puva is the preferred treatment method for palmoplantar psoriasis although bb uvb has been proven effective. It involves exposing the skin to controlled amounts of natural or artificial light.

Light therapy is a first line treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis either alone or in combination with medications. Targeted uvb therapy with excimer lasers is the preferred treatment method for. Because of that it s typically only recommended for severe cases. Therein lies the risk.

Puva psoralen and ultraviolet a is an ultraviolet light therapy treatment for skin diseases. But using it for a long time can raise your chances of skin cancer. 686 the psoralen is applied or taken orally to sensitize the skin then the skin is exposed to uva. The light slows down the production of skin cells and is an effective treatment for some types of psoriasis that have not responded to topical treatments.

Talk with your doctor about whether home phototherapy is an option for you. Light therapy is effective for reducing or clearing up the symptoms of psoriasis. In this combination therapy the psoralen taken internally acts as a skin sensitizer.