Phototherapy

Abstract

Phototherapy is an effective strategy in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and has been used for decades in the treatment of palmoplantar dermatoses. There is a wide variety of phototherapeutic regimens including broadband UVB (BB-UVB, 280-320 nm wavelength), narrowband UVB (NB-UVB, 311-312 nm), broadband UVA (320-400 nm), UVA1 (340-400 nm), and photochemotherapy (psoralen plus UVA, PUVA). UVB radiation is incapable of penetrating deeply into the skin. Therefore, it mainly affects the epidermis. In contrast, UVA radiation reaches also the dermis. This chapter gives an overview of the role of phototherapy in the management of occupational skin diseases.