Phototherapy and Photochemotherapy

Abstract

Radiation has been used to treat cutaneous conditions since ancient times. Despite all the recent advances in the field of dermatological therapy that have taken place in the last years, phototherapy and photochemotherapy still represent a useful alternative to control prevalent dermatoses such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Moreover, it is a useful tool to manage less frequent skin diseases like cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Classical phototherapeutic modalities (broadband UVB, PUVA, bath- PUVA, etc.), its indications and side effects are revised in this chapter, as well as relatively new options such as narrowband UVB therapy and UVA-1. © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers. All rights reserved.