Based on an extensive review of the highest-quality scientific literature on psoriasis and the opinion of recognized psoriasis experts, the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has released new guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, also known as phototherapy. Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.
Published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, this is the Academy’s fifth of six sections of the guidelines of care for psoriasis, with four previously published sections focusing on general recommendations for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as the use of biologics, topical and systemic therapies.
“Although treatment options for psoriasis have expanded considerably in recent years, UV light therapy remains an important treatment option for many psoriasis patients,” said dermatologist David M. Pariser, MD, FAAD, president of the Academy. “Over the years, phototherapy has been shown to effectively clear psoriasis, and it is a cost-effective therapy that generally does not suppress the body’s immune response like traditional and biologic systemic therapies. However, because this therapy delivers UV light to the skin (a known carcinogen), patients need to be closely monitored by their dermatologists for the potential risk of skin cancer.”
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that usually develops before age 35 and is characterized by thick, red, scaly patches that itch and bleed. Nearly 7 million Americans are living with this skin condition. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to causing the disease. Research has determined that psoriasis is linked to multiple genes, but it is not completely understood how it is inherited. However, there are at least nine locations on different chromosomes that are associated with psoriasis but researchers have not identified the specific genes that are linked to the genetic transmission of the disease.