PUVA Phototherapy

What is PUVA?

PUVA or photochemotherapy is a type of ultraviolet radiation treatment used for severe skin diseases.

PUVA is a combination treatment which consists of Psoralens (P) and then exposing the skin to UVA (long wave ultraviolet radiation). It has been available in its present form since 1976.

Psoralens are compounds found in many plants which make the skin temporarily sensitive to UVA. The ancient Egyptians were the first to use psoralens for the treatment of skin diseases thousands of years ago. Medicine psoralens include methoxsalen (8-methoxypsoralen), 5-methoxypsoralen and trisoralen.

Whole-body PUVA

For oral PUVA, methoxsalen capsules are taken two hours before the appointment for treatment. For bathwater PUVA, the patient soaks in a bath containing a solution of psoralens. In most cases, treatment is undertaken two or three times each week.

During treatment, the patient usually stands in a cabinet containing 24 or more 6-foot long UVA fluorescent bulbs.

The patient should always wear goggles to protect the eyes from exposure to the radiation.

Usually, he or she is dressed only in underpants for whole-body exposure. Sometimes just arms and legs may be exposed to the radiation, in which case the patient should wear the same clothing each treatment to prevent inadvertently exposing a new area of skin.

The UVA lamps stay on for increasing lengths of time, starting with about one minute and extending for up to half an hour. There may be fans or air conditioning to cool the cabinet, as it tends to get very warm with more prolonged treatment times.