Light therapy is one of the proven treatments for skin conditions. Clinically known as “phototherapy”, light therapy deploys UV rays to treat a vast range of dermatological issues, including vitiligo, psoriasis, scleroderma, acne and many such related disorders. Use of light therapy has also proved to be effective in SAD. The luminette light therapy glasses reviewed by sadlampusa.com show great promise.
How does it work?
You must be wondering that how does light therapy work to treat skin conditions. Well, these phototherapy machines emit UV light in carefully measured range on your skin to treat various dermatological disorders. As the light enters your skin, it works to slow down cell inflammation and growth to prevent and treat skin problems. In most of the cases, it’s the inflammation that leads to problems like vitiligo, psoriasis and eczema. The phototherapy treatment also prohibits overproduction of the skin cells which create unwanted hard skin plaques we see in psoriasis.
If you have been suffering from serious skin conditions for long and if your anti-inflammatory creams or moisturizes have failed to help- count on light therapy treatments. Don’t worry, the treatment is safe and approved by dermatologists. You will get appointments for phototherapy at dermatology clinics only which are usually prescribed for 2-3 times a week for a couple of months. Leading clinics always work with trained phototherapists to ensure the safest and most effective treatment.
Besides, you will also get at-home light therapy devices. But, it’s better to consult your dermatologist first before using such a device on your skin.
Types of light therapy
Interestingly, there are different forms of light therapy to treat skin issues.
Psoralen & UV light therapy– This light therapy treatment is good for conditions such as vitiligo and psoriasis. However, the PUVA therapy mostly works in combination of a topical or oral medication.
Narrow Ban UVB- This light therapy is delivered through lightbox and helps to treat a wide range of inflammatory dermatological issues, like, vitiligo, psoriasis and so on.
UVA-1- You have an innovative phototherapy here which too works on a versatile range of skin conditions. UVA-1 has proved to be a highly effective treatment solution for morphea, scleroderma as well as GVHD.
Excimer laser- This is a safe laser therapy that assures sound treatment of vitiligo, psoriasis, mycosis fungoides and dermatitis. But the best part, the treatment assures safe skin health without disturbing the surrounding healthy skin. Another great part about the therapy is that it requires fewer sessions and shorter treatment time compared to other therapies.
Photodynamic Blue Light therapy – This blue light therapy is especially suggested for acne treatment. The therapy works to eliminate bacteria in skin to reduce the unwanted acne bumps. Besides, this treatment is even great for actinic keratoses. The said condition is commonly characterized by rough skin patches that might get cancerous if not checked on time. To treat the problem, your doctor will first apply medication on the affected area. Then, he will deploy blue light for killing the precancerous lesions in skin to prevent any risk of cancer further. The good part is the Photodynamic Blue Light therapy will not disturb your healthy skin over the course of treatment.
Tips for preparation for light therapy
If your doctor has prescribed you light therapy, there are certain preparatory steps to follow both prior and over the course of your treatment.
Prevent tanning
You should not attempt getting onto sunbeds as tanning is not allowed here. Try to limit going out in the sun as much as possible. If you have to go out, keep yourself fully covered.
Be careful of what you eat
This is another major point to keep in mind while going for phototherapy treatment. According to doctors, you should avoid food with natural psoralen at this stage. Some of the examples include citrus fruits, figs, carrots, celery, parsley and parsnips.
Be careful of what you use on skin
When you are scheduled for a phototherapy treatment, you have to be extremely careful of what you use on skin. You cannot use any sort of perfumed products, lotions, ointments and creams unless that are being prescribed by your doctor.
No hair cut
Do not cut or trim hair before or over the course of your treatment.
