Phototherapy: How long can I use it???

[khela718]

Ive got this question, since BB UVB is clearing up my leisions thank god !! Im very happy that this is working for me my back is cleared my thighs r clearing , back of my thighs are cleared , 40 % of my arms are cleared (I have guttate P btw) My stomach and elsewhere are clearing very slowly but im really happy I hate the tan though lolz... Yea so since this is working for me how long can i use it .. lets say 50 years? I heard this is a life time treatment.. and say im cleared can i maintain that clearness for years by exposing myself and not getting a strep? Thats the unclear question.. its 2 weather exposore will kill the leisions while it looks like a unoticable bump in my skin which doesnt look like P at all .. and not letting it grow bigger/uglier. Im currently clearing at 8 minutes front and back with a touch of Tgel(coal tar) on stubborn leisions. Im extremly high tolerant when it comes to burning i never burn ....

[twinieten]

Ive got this question, since BB UVB is clearing up my leisions thank god !! Im very happy that this is working for me my back is cleared my thighs r clearing , back of my thighs are cleared , 40 % of my arms are cleared (I have guttate P btw) My stomach and elsewhere are clearing very slowly but im really happy I hate the tan though lolz... Yea so since this is working for me how long can i use it .. lets say 50 years? I heard this is a life time treatment.. and say im cleared can i maintain that clearness for years by exposing myself and not getting a strep? Thats the unclear question.. its 2 weather exposore will kill the leisions while it looks like a unoticable bump in my skin which doesnt look like P at all .. and not letting it grow bigger/uglier. Im currently clearing at 8 minutes front and back with a touch of Tgel(coal tar) on stubborn leisions. Im extremly high tolerant when it comes to burning i never burn ....

With BBUVB you can use the treatment indefinatly. Some people have success for a lifetime. For some people, it stops working after awhile. As long as it's working, just go with it. With BB, there is no connection between the therepy and skin cancer any greater than the usual sun exposure, risk varies depending on skin type.

[PJ Leary]

Hi,

So pleased to see you are having wonderful results with UV treatment. In my experience it is way easier to live with the tan than with the spots!

As long as you are under the care of a good derm, you can reasonably expect to use UV for many years. All UV treatment has skin cancer risks, so you should be seen by a derm on a regular basis while using any UV therapy. That said, I've used UV for more than 30 years with no adverse effects. I do know of patients who have had some skin cancer issues, then early detection and preventative measures are important.

Hope you continue to improve! Managed well, UV treatment is one of the safest treatments around . Stay clear of the strep.

Regards,

[khela718]

OK skin cancer is the only thing i g2 watch out for... what are the symptoms and how can i prevent it? not burning?

[JKNY]

Demand your derm spends the full 60 seconds to do a mole check once a year.

Look for weird shaped discolored growths but basically show any growths you see to the derm- make him look at you-that's better than 99.9% of the population out there can sdo easily.

[Resist]

OK skin cancer is the only thing i g2 watch out for... what are the symptoms and how can i prevent it? not burning?http://www.webmd.com/content/article/65/72793.htm

[nomobties]

Glad your p is clearing. I have been on light treatment since springtime and am nearly clear. I am hoping to be clear by the next conference (wherever it is). I too am using a coal tar treatment. I went to my derm Monday and he is happy with the results thus far. In fact he is recommending an increase in doseage by 10% per visit. It will keep going up in 10% increments so long as I can stand it. I am up to seven minutes now. I will keep this up so long as I have available sick time from work.

Incidently photoaging is also a side effect of light treatments. If you dont mind looking older than you are then fine, have at it. Much success to you.

[khela718]

what ive noticed is not all parts get clear at the same time for me its part by part.. for me it was first the back it cleard very quickly and now my thighs are clearing very slowly .. also 20 % of my arms are cleared its a slow process but im happy with the results and hope to be cleared in the near future =)

[khela718]

How long can the treatments be? As long as it takes without burning? lets say i dont burn at even 9 minutes can i increase?

[mystery]

what ive noticed is not all parts get clear at the same time for me its part by part.. for me it was first the back it cleard very quickly and now my thighs are clearing very slowly .. also 20 % of my arms are cleared its a slow process but im happy with the results and hope to be cleared in the near future =)

That's how it happened for me too: first back, then front trunk, arms, thighs, and now the lower legs/feet are clearing--seems to be top to bottom.

[twinieten]

How long can the treatments be? As long as it takes without burning? lets say i dont burn at even 9 minutes can i increase?

Yes. But it also depends.

From how I understand it, you are to increase your time until your p is completly healed. 30 second increase is what we were told when we started PUVA. Once the p has cleared, then you stop increasing your time and you try maintenence, which is the same time but less days per week. So if you're going 3 days a week at 10 minutes, then you reduce to 2 days a week at 10 minutes. If your p doesn't start to come back, then you reduce to 1 day a week for 10 minutes. Still going well, then once each 2 weeks for 10 minutes and so on until, I think, you are only treating once a month.

If your p comes back at 1 day a week for 10 minutes, then you increase it back up to to 2 days a week again. I'm not sure if you should increase your time at this point, so you might want to check with your derm about that one. You probably could try increasing your time at that point and then go back to 1 day a week at the new time. Then every other week at the new time.