Cause Your Health Counts


Using Light to Treat Psoriasis

Posted in Skin care by admin on the March 2nd, 2006

The skin disease psoriasis comes in many forms but is most recognized by its scaling skin. This disease affects nearly 400,000 Americans and, like other skin diseases, is not easy to treat. The general public is aware that these skin diseases are often treated with topical ointments or by taking pills; however, many people aren’t as familiar with the benefits of phototherapy ~ treating the disease with light ~ toward effectively cutting down or eliminating the symptoms associated with many skin diseases like psoriasis.

According to many respected institutions that conduct scientific medical studies, phototherapy can clear up to 80% of psoriasis~ skin scaling. This correct use of light works well for many other skin diseases as well: acne, skin fungus, jaundice and Rosacea. Even for people suffering from depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), phototherapy is very beneficial.

The lack of light is a major contributor to many skin disorders and many forms of depression such as SAD. Simply switching on a room’s light or going to a tanning bed won’t produce the type of light necessary to make changes. UVB must be present in this light therapy for improvements to be noticed. A few manufacturers, however, do make UVB light bulbs. People with skin diseases like psoriasis are encouraged to get outside at least three to five times every week, or even daily, for the best results. Another alternative recommendation is to visit a dermatologist who does custom light treatment, except this form of treatment is very cost prohibitive for most patients.

UVB light offers benefits to people in general, not just those with skin disorders. Both sunlight and UVB light have been clinically shown to reduce stress in humans; maybe that’s why we find the beach so relaxing. If you think about it for a moment, modern office and factory workers spend very little time in sunlight and for a large part of the year travel to and from work in darkness. Forward-thinking companies are beginning to replace their fluorescent lights with UVB lighting. This type of lighting naturally helps to reduce stress in the workplace and is easier on the eyes than fluorescent lighting because of less glare.

Vitamin D is produced when the body is exposed to sunlight. A person can get synthetic vitamin D from dairy or vitamin supplements; however, the synthetic productions are not as healthy for the body as the real stuff. Second to natural sunlight, UVB lighting is the only other natural source that will help the body get the right kind of vitamin D.

Phototherapy for the treatment of psoriasis has been around for decades. Home phototherapy units can be purchased online without a doctor’s prescription.

  • Psoriasis Treatment Psoriasis is a non-contagious, long-term skin disease. There are namely five categories of psoriasis: • Plaque, which surfaces as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. • Guttate, this appears as small red spots on the skin. • Inverse, which occurs in armpits, groin and
  • Soriatane Information Soriatane (acitretin) is an oral medication which is used to treat Psoriasis. It is the first treatment which is beneficial for all 5 types of Psoriasis namely plaque, guttate, erythrodermic, pustular, and palmar-plantar. How Soriatane works? Soriatane classified as being related to retinoid (Vitamin A). It basically works inhibiting certain receptors, thereby aiding in enhancing the growth
  • Acne Prevention So far we encountered that acne is a problematic condition and it insist on taking earnest approach. Good and appropriate care for skin is the first importance. That is way we compose some tips which will help young people and those who suffer from acne to cope with it. In first place if you have acne,
  • Irritating Mosquitoes - How to Avoid Them Naturally Most of you are familiar with mosquitoes and what a menace they are, particularly to good evenings spent outside. Almost everyone has had to battle with mosquitoes some time or the other. Mosquito repellents don’t work or have harmful chemicals. As a result they have lost their use. The best way to deal with them is
  • Acne Treatment In simple terms Acne denotes: • Plugged pores including blackheads and whiteheads • Lumps including cysts and nodules • Pimples Acne can occur irrespective of the age factor ranging from severe acne to mild acne. It can surface on the face, neck, chest back, scalp, legs and even upper arms. If not treated properly it can even cause disfiguring,
  • Rosacea Deteriorates Skin, Oracea Heals it Effectively Rosacea is the name of skin disease which is affecting approximately 14 million people in the United States only; for the entire world these figures could be very bulky. Redness of face and pimples are the common symptoms associated with this disease. Gradually, the skin affected by Rosacea becomes thick. There can be burning sensation
  • Skin Care Tips A healthy skin reflects a healthy you. Therefore it’s of utmost importance to take measures to ensure a supple and gorgeous skin. Skin care tips differ from individual to individual depending on their skin type that is dry to oily skin. Skin care tips formulated here can offer you with basic guidelines to pamper your
  • Eczema Treatment Eczema refers to the inflamed skin conditions. It is often characterized by dry, red itchy patches on the skin. Eczema can surface on almost any part of the body. Atopic eczema is the most common form of this condition. It is not a contagious disease, like many other diseases. Though there isn’t a cure yet found

Comments are closed.


  © All materials are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without prior written permission!

  Disclaimer – YourHealthCounts.net is not intended as medical advice. Its intent is solely informational and educational. The information is   not a substitute for talking with your health professional. Please read our Disclaimer.