For my psoriasis to get better, I must get my butt out of bed and get some sun, he told me. It doesn’t matter that I work midnight shift. I tried telling him I was allergic to bright light but that bird wouldn’t fly. (Ya gotta give me points for trying!)
The prescription: I get to see the doc twice a week for narrowband UVB light therapy.
Well, see, I have this little problem. I don’t like going to the doctor. They’ve never been mean to me or anything; I just don’t like being the patient. Being a patient requires more patience than I was born with, a lack of control that I find uncomfortable. I seem to have been given the gift of chronic illness to help me develop patience. (It’s not working!)
Despite my apprehension, the UVB thing has been going OK. I actually look forward to going to the doctor because I can see after just four sessions that my skin is looking better. Other people are even starting to notice.
Readers of this column already know that exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight works for psoriasis because it helps the body produce vitamins that it can’t manufacture for itself. Narrowband UVB is a specific range of ultraviolet radiation (311-312 nanometers) that has proven to be the most beneficial component of natural sunlight for psoriasis, according to an informational sheet from the New Zealand Dermatological Society. Used for clinical purposes, narrowband UVB requires shorter exposure times and a shorter course of treatment. It is also more likely than broadband UVB to clear the psoriasis, and brings a longer period of remission.
Sounds great, huh? It has some risks, though.
Like any exposure to natural sunlight, narrowband UVB can burn you. Long-term exposure can cause cancer. You have to wear protective goggles while you are using the UVB light, to reduce your risk of eye damage. You also have to leave your underwear on, to protect the sensitive genital area from overexposure.
There is one study that shows evidence of DNA damage from narrowband UVB, but the extent of its potential for damage is unknown at this time.
You and your doctor will have to decide together if narrowband UVB therapy is right for you. For me, it was a good option because I have responded well to natural sunlight in the past and I needed something that was going to work quickly. Because I am a female of childbearing age who has not had children, oral medications that are likely to cause birth defects were dangerous for me.
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