UVB - Contraindications?

[Twickle Purple]

I am starting Narrow Band UVB (311-312nm) therapy tomorrow. It is tedious and time consuming, I have to go 3 times a week and the sessions start with 30 second exposures and work their way up, depending on how I do each time. It's a 30 minutes drive each way for the appointment. I thought I had put these types of time consuming visits behind me in my 20s but my derm told me today that this new narrow band UVB has only been around about 10 years and could really make a difference. He also suggested that if it works I could just go out and by the full body set up he has, so I can do it at home. If it works, it could pretty much remove my need for steroid. On top of weekly all over Betnovate Valerate ointment (reduced from daily thanks to RLT and MetroCream), I'm now using Clobex (clobetasol propionate) on my hands and feet (for pompholyx, which RLT has no effect on) and I am anxious that I will set back my Rosacea progress. I use vinyl unpowdered gloves when I do hand treatments but I worry about touching my face with any of this stuff -- it's impossible to avoid 'contamination.'!

My question(s):

Has anyone had Narrow Band UVB?

And, if you have, did you have any side effects?

I am itchy a lot anyway, but I get really itchy from the sun and it bothers my skin. I'm concerned about this as a potential issue because I did not tolerate PUVA well (it's UVA with a different wavelength and ingested meds to increase absorption).

Any input would be very appreciated.

Thanks,
Twickle Purple

[Quench]

Nothing to offer you TP but VERY interested to hear how you get on with this. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Twickle Purple]

Thanks Quench.

I didn't make it to my first appt. I'm in a crazy deadline driven industry and skipping out for this is going to be hard. Tomorrow I will make it! If I can tolerate one treatment without getting itchy, etc., then I'm going to just ask for an Rx for my own unit and forgo the rest. You can rent units to try them out and then trade them up for full size with 90% rental paid applied. I think that's a very fair deal. I've already talked to their engineers about fabricating brackets to allow me to mount it sideways on the wall so I can lay on a table instead of standing (this way I can do my feet too).

I've seen these full size units with mirror 'wings' to extend the light reach. Mirrors is something IowaDavid mentioned a while back for my Dimalux. This is something I am going to look into. This NB UVB device uses 311nm tubes, and I am going to ask if they can get 660nm tubes in the 6' length. It would be terrific if they do!

[IowaDavid]

I don't see how UV would be helpful. Hope you've studied this modality, TP.

[Twickle Purple]

I'm not using it for rosacea. I have to cover my face and neck when I have treatment. It's for my atopic dermatitis -- it's supposed to be very helpful for that. I am skeptical of that though, because of the excellent results I see on the other end of the visible light spectrum.

I posted the question here in case anyone on the forum had experience with it that's all.

[IowaDavid]

I just haven't seen any data on UV helping inflammatory skin disorders. All of the benefits I've read about have been over 590nm. Prove me wrong, though. ;)

[Twickle Purple]

This type of treatment has been around for decades. I had PUVA (then called photochemotherapy) over 20 years ago. Alot of times it's the only thing that will work for folks with Psoriasis or severe Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). A quick google will give you tens of thousands of results. The UVA/B treatment for these disorders are standard practice along with steroids. Many times the UVA/B will bring enough improvement that steroids are no longer required. Which is what I'm hoping for because this new stuff (Clobex) is so powerful it will shut your adrenals down in 2 weeks. I wear unpowdered vinyl gloves and I won't let Tim touch it. I worry about my steroid load already, adding this stuff freaks me out.

When I mentioned my higher wavelength treatment to my derm he was skeptical and not aware of this at all. I'm going to bring him pics of what it does for my AD.

[DukeCity]

Twickle (Twinkie), Have you read any of the recent studies on 'Humira" for treating psoriasis??

[IowaDavid]

This type of treatment has been around for decades. I had PUVA (then called photochemotherapy) over 20 years ago. Alot of times it's the only thing that will work for folks with Psoriasis or severe Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). A quick google will give you tens of thousands of results. The UVA/B treatment for these disorders are standard practice along with steroids. Many times the UVA/B will bring enough improvement that steroids are no longer required. Which is what I'm hoping for because this new stuff (Clobex) is so powerful it will shut your adrenals down in 2 weeks. I wear unpowdered vinyl gloves and I won't let Tim touch it. I worry about my steroid load already, adding this stuff freaks me out.

When I mentioned my higher wavelength treatment to my derm he was skeptical and not aware of this at all. I'm going to bring him pics of what it does for my AD.

Well, you're a living experiment. Please let us know how it goes.

[Twickle Purple]

Hi Dukecity,

Humira has scary side effects, I'm hoping I can get the same benefits with the LLLT, with none of the drawbacks. UVA/B has a potential side effect of increased skin cancer, and it can accelerate skin aging. The UVB should be even less of a risk though -- and I have found a study that tracked over 6000 UVA/B users since the 60s and they indicate no increased cancer numbers with this group when compared to the general population. Plus, RLT works to repair some of the skin damage that UV can cause. This all gives me some hope, it does.

Hi IowaDavid,

In many ways. I'm a work in progress.
Hopefully something new will be discovered before I get to the finish line.

Cheers,
Twickle Purple