Tanning & Psoriasis

In study, commercial tanning bed therapy and acitretin give big results for patients with average plaque called psoriasis, in addition to faster healing of skin disease. The used of tanning beds is discourage to treat psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common skin condition in which the skin develops a thick silvery scale. Psoriasis patient may find that a medicated helps soothe the skin, remove scales and reduced itching. This is done by carefully soaking affected area with oatmeal oil after taking a bath for at least 15 minutes.

 

Ultraviolet ray acquire the immune system and cells particularly skin cells, then it activate vitamin D. This process slowed down the skin growth that causes skin scaling. Ultraviolet light treatment comprises the mildest UVB for a severe psoriasis. This is called PUVA (psoralen and ultraviolet A) therapy. For severe psoriasis it is best to start with UVB treatment rather than topical treatment. UVB phototherapy is also used to treat psoriasis that does not heal with topical ointment. In some cases where severe psoriasis needs a long tem treatment a home UVB or a tanning bed, which also contains UVB is advisable. UVB and UVA radiation are the main components of sunlight. UVB is the primary cause of sunburn that generally affects the outer layer of the skin, while the UVA dig in deeper to skin, when the sun’s heat goes through the top layers of the skin. Ultraviolet ray attack the DNA in the inner skin cell and damage it. It also damage immune function of our skin. This effect to the immunity of our skin affects wrinkles and skin aging, same effect that causes psoriasis. Phototherapy for psoriasis can be done in UVA or combination of UVA and UVB.

 

UVB THERAPY minimizes the abnormal growth of skin cells that produced psoriasis. The treatments in using radiation are either UVB or newer approach UVB. The two treatments involve exposure to a light source in a regular basis. Either treatment is administered at home using tanning or by administering UVB treatment in hospital.

UVA Therapy treatment is done by the use of UVA which needs a photosensitizing medication the psoralen.

PUVA Treatment can cause inflammation in the skin, but the good thing is this, this skin inflammation minimizes the formation of psoriasis. PUVA works by combining psoralen and UVA rays. The PUVA treatment basically follows these steps:

 

Once the psoriasis patient has drastically improved its condition, the patient is placed under a maintenance schedule. About two times a month treatment is needed using UVA and UVB treatment. Per study 90% of patients had drastically improved psoriasis condition in 30 treatments.