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UVA1 phototherapy: a review of mechanism and therapeutic application
Author(s) -
York Nathan R.,
Jacobe Heidi T.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04427.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dermis , dermatology , epidermis (zoology) , erythema , treatment modality , therapeutic modalities , surgery , pathology , anatomy
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) phototherapy has been associated with both deleterious and beneficial effects to patients with both localized and systemic skin disorders. Phototherapy is advantageous in diseases of the epidermis and dermis, as it provides the most direct approach minimizing systemic side effects. Most recently, ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) phototherapy has emerged as a specific UVR phototherapeutic mechanism. It has shown to be therapeutic in a number of sclerosing skin conditions and other dermatitides, in many cases proving to be more effective than other phototherapy modalities. Treatment advantages of UVA1 phototherapy include the ability to penetrate into the deep layers of the skin to affect changes on disease‐causing T cells, as well as activation of endothelial cells to promote neovascularization. UVA1 therapy also has been shown to be relatively free of side effects associated with other phototherapy regimens, including erythema and cellular transformation. These properties make UVA1 phototherapy an important treatment option for many debilitating skin conditions.