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Phototherapy and Vitiligo
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is characterized by loss of pigment in patches of the body.
Vitiligo provides little physical discomfort, though it is often quite distressing. Scientists believe that
vitiligo may be an autoimmune process in which the body destroys its own pigment.
Phototherapy Treatment can effectively treat Vitiligo
UV light,
or phototherapy vitiligo treatment can help create repigmentation. This process is slow, working from the outer edges of each patch inward, so regular phototherapy vitiligo treatment
is prescribed. Phototherapy vitiligo treatment may continue twice a week for a year or more.
Phototherapy equipment has been well-studied and has been proven to be an
effective treatment for vitiligo.
Home Phototherapy Equipment to treat vitiligo
Vitiligo treatments at home or at your
doctor's office is a decision between you and your doctor.
Home phototherapy units are
usually reimbursed by
insurance. The right phototherapy equipment is
based on the size of the area affected by vitiligo. The most often used
phototherapy units for vitiligo are:
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Foldalite III® - full-sized
folding home phototherapy booth
Extra-large treatment area, yet
folds to only 9” deep
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Panosol 3D®
- 6' panel with lamps on the doors! Treat body in 2
sessions.
- Panosol II® -
2' &
6' phototherapy light panels;
optional foldable wings
- Dermalight-80® handheld model is ideal for smaller
areas of vitiligo
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Clinical Research |
| #1 Narrow-band Ultraviolet B is a Useful and Well-Tolerated Treatment for Vitiligo Lubomira Scherschun, MD; Jane J. Kim, MD; Henry W. Lim, MD. Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. VOL 44, Number 6. June 2001 |
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Seven diverse vitiligo patients treated for one year with narrowband UVB
phototherapy. Five of the seven achieved 75% repigmentation with a mean of 19 treatments.
CONCLUSION: Treatment protocol resulted in rapid repigmentation in many
vitiligo patients, including those with skin phototypes IV and V. In accordance with previous studies, this report indicates that narrowband UVB
phototherapy is a useful and well-tolerated treatment for vitiligo. |
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#2 Treatment of Generalized Vitiligo in Children with Narrow Band (TL-01) UVB Radiation Therapy. M. D. Njoo, MD, PhD and W. Westerhof, MD, PhD. Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. Vol 42, Number 2, Part 1. February 2000
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Studied efficacy and safety of UVB (311 nm) phototherapy in children with generalized vitiligo. 51 Children were treated
with narrowband UVB lights twice a week for one year. Psychosocial impact of disease and treatment were carefully evaluated before and after. 75% overall repigmentation in 53% of
vitiligo patients and a stabilization of the vitiligo disease in 80%.
CONCLUSION: Narrow-band UVB phototherapy is effective and safe in childhood vitiligo;
phototherapy treatment may also significantly improve the quality of life. |
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| #3 Narrow-band ultraviolet B treatment for vitiligo, pruritus, and inflammatory dermatoses. Samson YS,
Gielczyk R, Scherschun L & Lim HW Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine,
2003 Aug; Vol. 19 (4), pp. 164-8 |
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BACKGROUND: Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy has been used successfully for the treatment of inflammatory and pigmentary skin disorders including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, mycosis fungoides, polymorphous light eruption, and vitiligo. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the treatment outcomes of 117 consecutive patients with vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses, excluding those with psoriasis and CTCL, who were treated with NB-UVB between 1998 and 2001 at our institution. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of all patients showed improvement in their condition
using narrow band UVB phototherapy. NB-UVB phototherapy lights were well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects. In patients with vitiligo, 6.4% had an abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone level and 6.5% had anemia.
CONCLUSION: Narrow Band UVB phototherapy may be considered as a viable therapeutic option in the treatment of vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses. Long-term adverse effects and cost-benefit analysis of Narrowband UVB
(NB-UVB) phototherapy treatment compared to other treatment modalities for
vitiligo remain to be determined.
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Learn More
We have many more research articles on phototherapy treatment lights and on
phototherapy for treatment of vitiligo. <Links>
Or, visit the National Vitiligo
Foundation website. |
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