Vitiligo

Vitiligo and phototherapy:

Vitiligo treated with the options of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). If vitiligo becomes generalized or widespread on the body, phototherapy may be recommended by the Dermatologist but comes with some risks. According to the Skin cancer Foundation, at skin cancer.org, an article “Shining Light on Ultraviolet Radiation,” explains that ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC) are the three wavebands which make up sunlight. This source explains that UVA is the deepest penetrating waveband into the skin which is able to shine through windows, pass through clouds and makes up 95% of sunlight. The source described that both UVA and UVB is responsible for development of skin cancer and that UVA is more dangerous because it can damage the DNA in deeper layers of the skin. UVB was described in the source as responsible for more superficial damage, faster aging of the skin, tanning and sunburn. (2)