UVB Phototherapy for Eczema

Narrowband UVB (nbUVB) phototherapy is a second line eczema treatment option that is regularly prescribed by skin doctors for eczema patients who have failed topical therapy.

It is a safe, effective eczema treatment that has been used with great results for many years for the relief of eczema plaques.

Sunlight produces three regions of ultraviolet radiation – UVA, UVB & UVC.  As sunlight passes through the ozone, all UVC and most UVB are absorbed in the atmosphere, leaving approximately 95% UVA and 5% UVB  to reach earth (cancer.org). While UV does provide relief to some eczema patients, it is not safe to expose your body to uncontrolled dosages of UV from the sun as this may lead to skin cancer and premature skin-ageing.

UVA and UVB can be produced artificially and in a controlled, concentrated way through medical bulbs.

UVA was  previously used in a number of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, in combination with oral or topical  photosensitising drugs. This has since been largely replaced with nbUVB which is a stand alone treatment, does not require oral medications, and has a greater safety profile.

UVB can be classified into two different groups of wavelengths:

– Narrowband UVB (nbUVB) refers to the specific wavelength of UV radiation of between 311-312nm, which is a very safe wavelength providing excellent outcomes for eczema, psoriasis and vitiligo patients.  There has been extensive research into nbUVB, that has corroborated its efficacy and safety profile.

– Broadband UVB (bbUVB) is an older technology that has a broader treatment wavelength between 290-320nm.

NbUVB requires less exposure time than with bbUVB, is more effective and leads to longer intervals between flares than the previously used bbUVB.  It also delivers better results and without the complications of UVA treatment which requires oral/topical photosensitising medication to be used in conjunction with the UVA therapy.

NbUVB phototherapy requires patient attendance 2-3 times per week for an initial period (usually approximately 6 weeks) to test if there is any response to this treatment. Treatment usually then continues until the eczema is under control and clear. The length of treatment is very patient specific and carefully monitored by our skin doctor.

There are many scientific articles on the safety and efficacy of UVB phototherapy treatment for eczema patients, and it is a very standard level of care for skin doctor’s eczema patients.   This is not a solarium and is a medically proven, safe wavelength of light treatment.

Initially, during a patient’s first dose of UVB phototherapy, treatment duration is often only a few seconds. Over time, treatment duration extends slowly and carefully, and can be of a 10-15 minute duration towards the end of a treatment course. It is important to do this incremental dosage increase slowly to ensure that the skin is not burned and there is a gradual increase in tolerance to the UVB light treatment. If some of the prescribed treatments are missed, then the dosage is dropped slightly (depending on the period of time lapsed since your last treatment) to ensure that your tolerance is built up gradually again.