This is from an article written by Damian McNamara of Skin and Allergy News in an article published in February of 2008.
TORONTO — Narrowband ultraviolet B treatment is effective for repigmentation of vitiligo lesions, according to ratings from 50 patients and their physicians. The technique was particularly successful for lesions on the face and body and less helpful on the hands and feet.
As I wander around the internet, from time to time I find articles that I hope my readers find of some value. This article from the December 2009 issue of Skin and Allergy News is one of the first articles I have come across linking Vitamin D production with UVB Narrow Band. This article was written by Bruce Jancin.
UVB NB Systems are available from off-shore vendors in Israel, Europe and Australia.
I do recommend that you be very cautious for several reasons:
The offshore vendor may be (usually is) offering product(s) that are not approved for use or sale in the USA.
There are several vendors/manufacturers here in the USA and we all sell devices that are 510K Certified by the FDA.
Home UVB phototherapy for Psoriasis
Alex Anstey – professor – Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport NP20 2UB – alex.anstey@gwent.wales.nhs.uk - Research, doi:10.1136/bmj.b1542
Is as safe and effective as outpatient treatment, but provision is poor. Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes substantial disability in affected people and their families. In the linked randomised controlled trial (doi:10.1136/bmj.b1542), Koek and colleagues assess whether home ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy is as safe and effective for psoriasis as conventional UVB phototherapy given in the outpatient department.
TITLE: A randomized controlled study of low-dose UVA1, medium-dose UVA1, and narrowband UVB phototherapy in the treatment of localized scleroderma.
Kreuter A, Hyun J, Stücker M, Sommer A, Altmeyer P, Gambichler T.
Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
BACKGROUND: In previous trials, UV therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of localized scleroderma (LS). To date, a randomized comparison study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different, commonly used phototherapeutic modalities in LS is still outstanding.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of
METHODS: Sixty four patients with LS were consecutively included in a prospective, open, randomized controlled 3-arm study. Severity of LS was determined by means of a clinical score, and clinical improvement was also monitored by histopathologic analysis and 20-MHz ultrasound.
RESULTS: A total of 27 patients were treated with LD UVA1 (20 J/cm2), 18 patients received MD UVA1 (50 J/cm2), and 19 patients were treated with NB UVB dependent on their skin type. Phototherapy was performed 5 times weekly for 8 weeks. Two of the 64 patients included in this trial discontinued therapy. Skin status significantly improved in all patients who finished the treatment protocol, resulting in a reduction of the clinical score in all groups (LD UVA1, 7.6-5.0 [P < .001, 95% confidence interval 1.6-3.4]; MD UVA1, 11.1-6.6 [P < .001, 95% confidence interval 2.5-6.2]; NB UVB, 7.3-4.9 [P < .001, 95% confidence interval 1.6-3.2]). The reduction of the score was accompanied by an improvement of the visual analog scale for itching and tightness, histologic score, and 20-MHz ultrasound. MD UVA1 was significantly more effective than NB UVB (P < .05). There were no significant differences between LD UVA1 and NB UVB and the former and MD UVA1 (P > .05).
LIMITATIONS: We had a relatively small study sample and nonblinded assessment of primary outcome.
CONCLUSION: Phototherapy, as previously reported in several noncontrolled trials, is an effective therapeutic option in LS, with a favorable risk/benefit ratio. UVA1 phototherapy should be considered among the first approaches in the management of LS.
Link to PubMed Article: << Click Here >>
NOTE: Amjo does offer UVA-1 Products at www.HomePhotoTherapy.com
An older study (2003) highlights UVA-1 (340-400 nm) Ultraviolet Therapy.
The original work was completed by Dawe RS. at the: Photobiology Unit, Department of Dermatology, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK. r.s.dawe@dundee.ac.uk
Long-wavelength ultraviolet A (340-400 nm; UVA1) therapy is currently available in only a few dermatology departments. Equipment capable of delivering this waveband has been available since 1981, but it is only over the past decade that increasing numbers of studies assessing the potential of this as a therapy have been published. High-dose UVA1, which requires expensive and space-occupying apparatus, is effective as a monotherapy for acute flares of atopic dermatitis, but it has not yet been formally assessed as an adjunct, rather than as an alternative to conventional therapies including potent and very potent topical corticosteroids. Low-dose (which can be administered using a standard phototherapy cubicle fitted with appropriate lamps) and medium-dose UVA1 may be less effective for this indication. Another condition for which UVA1 is effective, and is particularly promising because we have no reliably effective treatment already, is localized scleroderma. It also appears to be effective in systemic lupus erythematosus (although it is not yet clear when it is indicated, and its safety needs to be assessed in more patients) and in polymorphic light eruption (although there have been no studies suggesting that UVA1 will have any advantages over standard prophylactic phototherapies). Open studies and case series suggest that UVA1 may prove beneficial for various other diseases, including cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, lichen sclerosus, keloids, systemic sclerosis and hand dermatitis. In the centres where it is available, UVA1 has already proved a useful addition to the range of phototherapies previously available. However, much more research is needed to confirm its efficacy for many of its potential indications, and to determine when and how it should be used.
Original Article << Click Here >>
The answer is yes but it’s more of a challenge than with UVB Broadband. One of the best features of UVB Narrow Band is that it has an excellent “therapeutic” effect with less risk of a sunburn. How can that be? The answer is quite simple. Our skin is sensitive to all forms of ultraviolet light and from a sunburn viewpoint, our skin is most sensitive to UV light between about 290 nm (nano meters) and 305 nm. Take a look at the graph below.
The Green area is UVB NB and only a small amount of the UVB NB energy is inside our skin's most sensitive wavelengths.
Clinical studies have shown that the peak therapeutic effectiveness of UVB to be between 295 to 313 nm and that wavelengths below (shorter) than roughly 300 nm are more likely to cause a strong erythemal response or severe burning. UVB Narrow Band is in the 311-313 nm range and causes less burning than shorter wavelengths.
The area under the blue curve is UVB BB (Broadband) and as one can see, a significant amount of the energy of UVB BB is inside the area of the curve defining our skin’s tendency to burn.
UVB NB is not totally foolproof but one does have to work harder to get a sunburn!
More info: << Click Here >>
Narrow Band Ultra Violet B Light is a relatively new technology on the vitiligo front. In the past, most doctors have used the PUVA system, which involved the use of Ultra Violet A light exposure and the taking of Psoralen pills. However, side effects for many people were unbearable. Narrow Band UVB light panels and cabinets solve the problems of over-exposure to ultraviolet by maximizing delivery of narrow-band UVB radiation (in the 311-312 nanometer range, the most beneficial component of natural sunlight) while minimizing exposure to superfluous UV radiation.
Cheryl and I operate Amjo Corp for fun and profit. If there’s no profit, I can assure you there’s no fun either! We started Amjo in 1998, you can read about us at www.amjo.net. Every now and again, someone wakes us up by thanking us for what we do. This weekend that just passed by was just such a moment. The gentleman who wrote the letter/email below suffers from severe dermatitis on his hands and he recently purchased a National Biological Corp Hand/Foot II unit from us through his insurance company and this is what he was kind enough to write.
Hi Chris,
I want to thank Cheryl for the wonderful service I received from her. She had a tough and challenging time dealing with my insurance and medical provider. I want you to know how much I appreciated her professionalism and kindness she showed me in dealing with them to get me a light box. I could only wish that there were more people in the medical industry that had Cheryl’s drive to help those of us that don’t understand and haven’t the knowledge of the system to do it as well as Cheryl did. Kudos to Cheryl and yourself for having such a great staff to help us.
Thanks again for everything
RP in California
It feels good to be thanked for the job we do every day.
UVA/UVA1 phototherapy and PUVA photochemotherapy in connective tissue diseases and related disorders: a research based review.
Breuckmann F, Gambichler T, Altmeyer P, Kreuter A.
Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany. Frank.Breuckmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
BACKGROUND: Broad-band UVA, long-wave UVA1 and PUVA treatment have been described as an alternative/adjunct therapeutic option in a number of inflammatory and malignant skin diseases. Nevertheless, controlled studies investigating the efficacy of UVA irradiation in connective tissue diseases and related disorders are rare.
METHODS: Searching the PubMed database the current article systematically reviews established and innovative therapeutic approaches of broad-band UVA irradiation, UVA1 phototherapy and PUVA photochemotherapy in a variety of different connective tissue disorders.
RESULTS: Potential pathways include immunomodulation of inflammation, induction of collagenases and initiation of apoptosis. Even though holding the risk of carcinogenesis, photoaging or UV-induced exacerbation, UVA phototherapy seems to exhibit a tolerable risk/benefit ratio at least in systemic sclerosis, localized scleroderma, extragenital lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, sclerodermoid graft-versus-host disease, lupus erythematosus and a number of sclerotic rarities.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data retrieved from the literature, therapeutic UVA exposure seems to be effective in connective tissue diseases and related disorders. However, more controlled investigations are needed in order to establish a clear-cut catalogue of indications.
Original PubMed Link << Click Here >>
The Author is the owner of Amjo Corp. Amjo's focus is the sale of PhotoTherapy Products for the treatment of Vitiligo and many other skin challenges.
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