Narrowband UVB phototherapy for the treatment of psoriasis: A review and update

An advance in UVB-based phototherapy has been the introduction of fluoresce nt lightbulbs (Philips TL-01) that deliver monochromatic light at 311-nm UV B, a narrowband wavelength that seems to maximize clearing of plaques relat ive to its erythrogenic potential. Narrowband UVB phototherapy has consider able advantages over traditional treatment options such as broadband UVB an d psoralen plus UVA (PUVA). It is clearly more effective than broadband UVB , safer than PUVA, and well tolerated by patients when taken at suberythemo genic doses. Narrowband UVB represents an important new therapy for psorias is.