Living with a skin condition can not only be uncomfortable, but it can affect your confidence and leave you feeling insecure - if you’re wanting to show off your best skin in summer 2023, then this treatment could change your life.
Consultant dermatologists Dr Hiva Fassihi and Dr John Ferguson from OneWelbeck Skin Health & Allergy in London sit down with us to share a "very safe and effective but often forgotten" treatment for those suffering with skin conditions.
Below, they talk to us about phototherapy and how important ultraviolet radiation is for treating the skin.
Q: What treatment would you recommend for anyone dealing with a skin condition?
A: Phototherapy – this is the use of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to treat skin disorders. It works by temporarily manipulating the skin's immune function and the turnover of cells in the skin, ultimately normalising the skin barrier. It also induces pigmentation in the skin.
We use a type of ultraviolet called Narrowband UVB, proven to be a safe and beneficial component of natural sunlight to reduce inflammation in the skin. Narrowband UVB can be used to treat a number of skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, nodular prurigo, urticaria and pruritus. Moreover, it can be used to desensitise patient with sun allergy rashes such as polymorphic light eruption, and it can help re-pigment the skin of patients with vitiligo.
Q: How does phototherapy compare to other forms of treatment?
A: The first line of treatment when an individual visits their GP will often be in the form of topical creams. But this only works effectively when the skin condition is mild and the creams are used regularly. In conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, when creams aren’t strong enough, many GPs would refer their patients for oral or injectable immunosuppressants, which are stronger forms of treatment with more potential side effects.
Phototherapy offers a useful second option after creams that is safer for the patient as the effects are local to the skin. The benefits of phototherapy are well established – it doesn’t cure psoriasis or eczema but can provide the individual with a relatively long period of remission before needing to be treated again.
Polymorphic light eruption is a red itchy rash which occurs after sun exposure, particularly in early spring and summer. By having phototherapy just before the start of spring, the skin hardens and is less likely to react.
There are very few effective treatments for vitiligo which is particularly troublesome for those with darker skin. Vitiligo can have a significant impact on quality of life and historically has resulted in stigmatisation, having a negative influence on a patient’s job and social life.
Phototherapy is a great option for treating this but unfortunately, many patients and doctors are unaware of this treatment for vitiligo. Although re-pigmentation of the skin can take many months, phototherapy is undoubtedly the gold-standard treatment – it's the best option available and can really change someone's life and boost their self-esteem.
Q: Are there any side effects to phototherapy treatment?
A: Phototherapy is not an aggressive intervention – there is no need for blood tests, and there are no systemic side-effects as with other treatments. For patients who are concerned about the pain or sensation during the treatment, we reassure them of how natural and pain-free the treatment is.
The belief that treatment with Narrowband UVB increases the risk of skin cancer is a myth – we have data to prove this and always reassure our patients how safe this type of phototherapy is.
Q: How many treatments of phototherapy would I need to treat my skin?
A: Naturally it’s dependent on each person, but we’d usually recommend between 15 to 30 treatments per course (30 to 40 for more severe cases), and up to 50 for vitiligo. This would generally require two to three visits a week to keep the treatment consistent and achieve the most effective results.
The sessions are very short and only take a matter of seconds at first but are built up to several minutes as the skin adjusts to the increase in dosage.
Q: When is the best time to treat a skin condition?
A: We consider autumn and winter to be the prime time to treat anyone suffering with a skin condition. As with many skin conditions, psoriasis and eczema can often get worse during the winter months due to a lack of natural sun exposure.
Q: What is the benefit of choosing OneWelbeck Skin Health & Allergy for phototherapy?
A: We have very experienced, nationally-leading nurses in phototherapy, many of which have been working in the field for 40 years. They have seen and treated many skin conditions, so we always assure our patients that they’re in safe hands.
As well as offering professional, qualified consultants in the field of phototherapy, we also offer new and state-of-the-art equipment designed specifically for the treatment of skin conditions.
The team at OneWelbeck Skin Health & Allergy works closely together and communicates frequently to ensure all patients are looked after by experts in their field all under one roof. The progression of patients undergoing phototherapy is carefully documented by the nurses and monitored by us so that each patient receives the optimal and most effective treatment protocol for them.
We become familiar with our patients, getting to know them and their condition personally to ensure the treatment they are receiving is tailored to their condition.
For more information on phototherapy at OneWelbeck Skin Health & Allergy, visit onewelbeck.com/treatments/phototherapy/.
To make an enquiry, contact the team on 020 3653 2007 or bookings.skinhealthallergy@onewelbeck.com.
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