Phototherapy is the exposure of specifically prescribed wavelengths of UVB light treatment exposed to skin at dosages. Patients treated with phototherapy often experience clearing after 20 to 25 treatments given at regular intervals with long term remission in 90 to 95% of cases. However, booster treatments may be necessary.
Compare the effects of phototherapy with biologics.
Reduced drug costs for managed care
For psoriasis, UVB treatments delivered through a home phototherapy unit is estimated to cost $7000 over a 30 year period. For the same period, biologic treatment costs are estimated at $172,000 to $320,000 with costs continuing to rise. The busy patient does not need to come to the physician’s office for regular treatments. Our units even shut down when number of treatments have been reached to help ensure that the prescription is followed.
View recent articles in managed care journals.
Dispelling myths about phototherapy
It’s NOT tanning – phototherapy uses different wavelengths than tanning beds. It is used for treatment of severe, uncomfortable, and disfiguring skin conditions such as psoriasis and vitiligo.
No link to cancer –Two recent studies - a literature review and a retrospective analysis - examined long-term treatment of psoriasis using the narrowband UVB available in equipment from National Biological. Both report that there is no evidence of a link between UVB phototherapy and cancer.
