Last Updated on 6th February 2024 by Caroline Haye
Safer than sunbathing, as long as you choose a good UV lamp and use it properly
Following on from last week’s blog post, I’d like to answer the question, how safe is homeUV phototherapy? The reason being that it is a serious medical treatment and needs to be approached with care and common sense. And, if you do it right, it can make a world of difference to your vitiligo (or psoriasis).
UV therapy has one of the best track records of all treatments for vitiligo and psoriasis. So, if you have been diagnosed with either condition there is a good chance that phototherapy could benefit to you. In particular, narrowband UVB can stimulate the formation of pigment in vitiligo, and produce faster and longer-lasting improvements in psoriasis… Better than any other UV bandwidth. This is because it uses wavelengths of 311 – 312 nanometres only. And, this being the most beneficial component of natural light, means it eliminates unnecessary and potentially harmful wavelengths.
In both vitiligo and psoriasis phototherapy works partly by reducing inflammation. And, in the case of vitiligo, its effectiveness may also be due to the fact that this narrow bandwidth allows new pigment to form in less time than it takes for the skin to burn. In this sense, it is much safer than sunbathing because it is carefully targeted and controlled in a way that sunlight can never be… Enjoyable though basking in the sunshine undoubtedly is. (Having said that, my vitiligo recovery started with simple sun exposure and nutrition.)
Thinking about this whole subject of home treatment, staying safe boils down to 3 key considerations:
- Am I a suitable candidate for home phototherapy?
- Is my chosen UV device appropriate?
- Am I willing to use it responsibly?
So, let’s take a look at each of these questions in turn.
Am I a suitable candidate for home phototherapy?
In my opinion, the safest way to approach phototherapy, if you are thinking about it for the first time, is to consult with your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for your particular case. Unfortunately, not all GPs and dermatologists fully appreciate the massive difference it can make to a person’s morale. They do not always realise how much it means psychologically to see even partial improvement in a skin condition. Some are reluctant to refer for outpatient UV treatment and even more unlikely to prescribe home therapy. So don’t be afraid to ask for a second, or third, opinion if you feel your doctor is not taking your request seriously.
Ideally, phototherapy should take place in a hospital or clinic environment under full medical supervision… At least to begin with. Because this ensures nothing is left to chance and enables the individual to ask questions and learn about how the treatment works, what results to expect and how to avoid any potential pitfalls. However, it isn’t always feasible to have this kind of outpatient treatment. Which is why the latest home phototherapy devices allow us the flexibility to treat ourselves at home with equal success, and equivalent safeguards.
What the experts say
This 2019 article – Home Phototherapy For Patients With Vitiligo: Challenges and Solutions – provides a good overview of the pros and cons of home-based UV therapy. And an older but equally relevant one from 2010 – A Practical Approach to Home UVB Phototherapy for the Treatment of Generalized Psoriasis – puts the subject into perspective. (It is just as relevant to vitiligo.) So I would highly recommend reading these if you are considering home treatment for the first time.
The 2010 article offers important advice, covers some crucial safety issues and points to the fact that many doctors are unjustly suspicious of home phototherapy. The article ultimately concludes that:
“Home phototherapy is convenient, cost-effective, and associated with better quality of life compared to outpatient phototherapy […] However, few dermatologists have embraced home phototherapy. When asked why not, they cite inferior efficacy and higher risk, despite the lack of evidence to support these assumptions.”
Bhutani T, Liao W. A Practical Approach to Home UVB Phototherapy for the Treatment of Generalized Psoriasis. Pract Dermatol. 2010;7(2):31–35.
Is my chosen UV device appropriate?
Given that safety and effectiveness should be top priorities in any medical treatment, it makes sense to select a home device very carefully. Ensuring that it is the right type of product for your needs and that it is good quality are both crucial. If you were to have this kind of treatment as an outpatient you would quite rightly assume that the hospital has the best equipment for the job. Admittedly, you are likely to have a much more limited budget than a hospital. But it would be very foolish to compromise standards of quality and safety in favour of the lowest price. If a UV device is on sale at an amazingly low price, you have to ask yourself why.
If you live in the USA you will need to get a doctor’s prescription before buying a home phototherapy unit in any case. So you will probably be able to get advice from your doctor as to what is and isn’t suitable.
But for the rest of us here are some quick tips on making an informed choice:
- Buy new, from a trusted source. Used devices from cut-price or auction sites may or may not be safe or of good quality; your health is surely too important to trust to chance.
- Look for a reputable brand from a well-known manufacturer. (The two devices I have included in Vitiligo Store are made by Daavlin, a world leader in phototherapy technology.)
- Choose a device of the correct size and power to treat the extent of your condition. For example, if your vitiligo or psoriasis is not extensive, a hand-held device is ideal. If it is moderately widespread a small panel unit would probably be sufficient. But if your condition is widespread, then a full body panel may be your best choice. Obviously, the bigger and more powerful the unit, the more expensive it will be. So it makes sense not to select a product intended for a level of treatment that you don’t actually need.
- Where possible, choose a product with built-in safety features. For example, integrated timers will not allow you to operate the unit without first setting the timer. Separate timers, on the other hand, can result in the user forgetting to set the treatment time and receiving the wrong exposure as a result.
Am I willing to use it responsibly?
This is the factor that is most within our control. But, ironically, it is the one that can carry the most risk. So I think it is important to be really honest with yourself. If you are the sort of person who has difficulty being disciplined, paying attention to detail and sticking to routines, I don’t recommend you attempt UV treatment at home. (Unless you can get medical supervision to back you up.) You will be better off as an outpatient or simply getting moderate sun exposure. But, if you are serious about improving your condition and willing to follow the safety instructions that come with your device to the letter a home phototherapy unit could be the perfect way to benefit from UV treatment without the inconvenience of having to visit the hospital three times a week. (Especially as, in most cases, this would be during working hours).
Some specific safety tips
If you have never had phototherapy before it is important to understand a bit about how it works. In particular, you need to know that the dosage is very gradually and precisely increased at each session for good reason. It also helps to know what effects to look out for. (For example, your skin should look slightly pink, following a treatment, but should not feel sore.) You should understand what to do if you miss a treatment by more than a couple of days. (The usual advice is to reduce the time/dosage of your next treatment accordingly, so as to avoid burning.)
All of this information will be available if you obtain your product from a reputable source. And the final word on this is, if you are in any doubt about any aspect of using your device, ask the manufacturer and/or your doctor for guidance.
The home phototherapy devices currently in Vitiligo Store are available to residents of the UK at the VAT-free price shown, as long as they are for personal therapeutic use only. UK deliveries are free. Please contact us for a shipping quote if you live outside the UK using the contact form on the site.
