UVB Light Therapy - no longer working

Posted Wed 10 Apr 2019 20.48 by louby9988

Hi everyone, I have had psoriasis for 6 years now and I have (like most of us) tried all the gels creams lotions potions etc that I have been given by doctors. I was then referred to light therapy with other treatments failing, I have used light therapy for the past 3 years and it (nearly) completely cleared my skin. I have one at home (Dermatec) and I usually know when I am about to have a flare up and have another short course. This time however, I have had a major flare up about 80% of my body is covered, and the light therapy is not working for me. I am just going a bit pink but the psoriasis patches aren't going. Has anyone had a similar experience?? What should I do? Can you become immune to the therapy and will it no longer help me? Or is this a one off Thanks in advance.

Posted Sun 21 Apr 2019 19.58 by Idy
Phototherapy, methotrexate, ciclosporin and stelara afficionado

Hi louby9988. I was around 70% covered in 2012, but 3 months of UVB cleared this completely. In 2017 I was back in the same state, but I had to give up UVB after a couple of weeks because it seemed to irritate my skin. Thankfully I was then prescribed Stelara which has worked a treat.

Posted Tue 21 May 2019 00.53 by Gemma100

I thought the same at one point, having had good results at home before I was referred for PUVA. When it returned which was very quickly, because I was severely burned, I went back to UVB at home. When I began using it I though this isn't working like it used to. In my case instead of turning it up 10 seconds at a time as I used to do. I copied as they do at the hospital and increase it 20% at a time. Big mistake badly burned. I also was desperate to turn pink to start clearing it so turned it up too quickly. Once I was more patient it does still work for me. To be honest it doesn't always clear parts of me by just going pink. Sometimes it has to almost go to the point of burning. I know it hard to wait for the clearing stage, but unfortunately it can take quite a while and avoid the temptation to rush it.

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