Home Psoriasis The Paradox of Healing: UV Light and Psoriasis
The Paradox of Healing: UV Light and Psoriasis
Skin Care - Psoriasis
The use of UV light therapy to treat Psoriasis is one of the most irrevocable evidences that the role of light has been taken several steps further. When someone says the word light, the image that comes to mind usually involves bulbs or light effects. Some may even think about spiritual connotations, as well as weight issues. Rarely is the word ‘light’ mean anything in treatment or therapy. However, nowadays, light is used for treating a wide variety of illnesses. This treatment has also been proven to be more or less effective. Light, in different forms and colors have been used to treat depression, eczema, acne, psoriasis, even pain. It may seem ironic that harmful ultraviolet light is used for treating psoriasis. This irony merits our close scrutiny and discussion.

Phototherapy is the word used to refer to using ultraviolet light for treatment of severe skin conditions. Psoriasis is one of the conditions that ultraviolet light can treat. This skin condition is very common, and it has many forms. The most common form is psoriasis vulgaris, while the least common is inverse psoriasis. This skin condition can affect anyone from every age range. The disorder also has no preference when it comes to sexes; males and females can be equally affected. Psoriasis is not contagious. It usually manifests when a person enters his or her 20s. Psoriasis can become a mainstay in a person’s life. The symptoms of this condition include inflamed and reddish skin lesions, irregular fingernail growth, and the formation of thick layers of dead skin on the affected areas. In rare cases, it may lead to arthritis.

There is no guaranteed cure yet for this condition, but experts have already developed a number of ways to manage or control the development of the lesions. One of the treatments is using lighting devices that emit ultraviolet rays.

It is common knowledge that ultraviolet rays are harmful to the skin. Scientists have classified UV rays into three: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is not at all harmful because the atmosphere absorbs much of it. On the other hand, UVB and UVA are ubiquitous. If a person gets exposed too much to these forms of UV rays, it can cause premature aging, skin cancer, cataracts, and even damage to the DNA.

For the production of vitamin D, UVA is needed. This type is the most harmless of the three. With UVA, skin cell production decreases, thus reducing inflammation. While this may be helpful for psoriasis patients, it can be harmful for those who do not have the condition. Therefore, treatment involving UV light should be closely supervised by trained professionals.

The method used to treat psoriasis is known as PUVA. Psoralen and UVA are combined in this treatment. It has proven to be effective on 85 percent of patients suffering from mild to medium forms of psoriasis. After a few sessions of 20 to 30 minute treatments, the results will already be visible. If the patient is exposed to too much UVA light, he or she may experience burning and nausea.