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What is Dermatological Phototherapy?

What is Dermatological Phototherapy? thumbnail
A number of skin conditions can prove to be embarrassing or life-threatening.

Dermatological phototherapy is a skin treatment option. While it is used to treat a number of skin conditions, there are a few side effects that should be considered before receiving phototherapy.

  1. Definition

    • According to the Australasian College of Dermatologists, phototherapy is a treatment that uses artificial light wavelengths to treat skin conditions. It utilizes wavelengths from the ultraviolet part of the light spectrum at a higher intensity while leaving out the other wavelengths in light.

    Skin Conditions

    • Phototherapy is used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo and itchy skin. Phototherapy is not designed to treat all forms of psoriasis and eczema. It might actually aggravate the diseases.

    Considerations

    • Depending on the type of phototherapy used, short-term effects, such as burned skin, and long-term effects, such as skin cancer, may result from treatment. Phototherapy may not be a good option for people with very fair skin who burn easily, should not be used on small children, and should not be used if you have a suppressed immune system or had skin cancer in the past.

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References

  • Photo Credit skin image by Robert Kelly from Fotolia.com

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