Does UV have any adverse effects on children’s development, and how many children under the age should not receive phototherapy?
Whether children can receive UV therapy is currently controversial. Oral PUVA therapy is generally considered inappropriate for children under 12 years of age. For other types of phototherapy, there are no clear rules, and the general limit is that phototherapy can be chosen when other treatments fail to achieve significant results.
The adverse effects on children, in addition to what is commonly referred to as photoaging, photocarcinogenesis, the effects on the lens after UV, especially oral PUVA, and the effects on the immune system should be the main issues. Liu Zhi, Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University If phototherapy is needed, special attention should be paid to eye protection, observation of the reaction during treatment, minimizing the cumulative dose of treatment and shortening the course of treatment. It is recommended to measure the MED/MPD before UV treatment for children. Does phototherapy have any adverse effects on newlyweds who are planning to get pregnant and is it suitable for phototherapy? Is phototherapy suitable for pregnant women?
Theoretically, there are no strict contraindications to UV therapy for couples preparing to become pregnant, but it is still not recommended. Pregnant women should not undergo phototherapy.
If the skin lesion is in the eye, can I avoid damage to the eye by covering the eye with my finger?
Our opinion is that if the lesion is on the eyelid, phototherapy should not be used if possible.
Are protective goggles effective in protecting the eyes?
The professional protective goggles provided by the manufacturer have been tested for UV protection and can block 100% of UV rays. Therefore, if used correctly, they can be very effective in protecting the eyes.
Can all phototherapy for dermatological conditions be dosed according to skin type?
For patients requiring total body irradiation, the starting dose for most disease types is determined by skin type or by determining the minimum amount of erythema of the patient’s corresponding light source. The exception is vitiligo, where the starting dose is independent of skin type and the treatment dose should be significantly lower than for other disease types.
Can other medications be used in combination with NBUVB irradiation?
The use of adjunctive medications and combination therapy can directly improve the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the cumulative dose of UVB, thereby reducing the side effects associated with long-term treatment. Narrow-spectrum UVB has been successfully used in combination with other treatments such as topical tar, anthralin and calcipotriol. Caution should be exercised in setting the starting dose and in increasing the dose when combining with the presence of photosensitizing drugs such as tar and retinoids.
Is it still necessary to reach the erythema dose after repeated irradiation and increased skin tolerance?
To achieve optimal treatment results, the increased dose should be sufficient to achieve a newly detectable erythema after each irradiation. Therefore, each irradiation needs to be adjusted to the optimal dose based on the response of the previous one.