Narrowband UV-B therapy helps to decrease inflammation and itching by emitting a specific wavelength, 308nm (1 specific portion of the UVB portion of the ultraviolet spectrum).  Narrowband UVB is safe both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

What to expect: You will be told how many sessions per week will be needed. Typically, it is 2-3 treatments per week. It usually takes 5-8 sessions to start to see improvement but can take up to 10 treatments to see the full effect of the treatment. Treatment for certain conditions may take many more sessions.  It is important that you don’t miss any of the treatment sessions or you may delay your response to treatment.  Some tanning of your skin is possible.  Although this is a more targeted therapeutic wavelength than the sunlight, prolonged courses of NB-UVB can have the same adverse affects as prolonged exposure to sunlight so your provider will attempt to prescribe the minimal number of sessions to help your condition.  If your condition requires extensive use of NB-UVB, these risks will be discussed further.

On the day of your treatment, do not wear perfume, deodorants, antiperspirants or aftershave as they may contain chemicals which make your skin more sensitive to the light and may stain your skin. They can be used after each treatment. You must apply sorbolene, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or a similar topical before the treatment as this will help to absorb the light. Apply sunscreen to the unaffected areas before your treatment session or keep them covered during the session since these areas do not need treatment. Some make-up also contains a Sun Protection Factor (SPF).

You will stand in a cabinet containing narrowband UVB light tubes that emit 308nm for a short time (seconds to minutes). If your symptoms affect your entire body, you will be fully undressed except for underwear and protective eye goggles. Keep your eyes closed during the procedure. You will stand in the center of the cabinet (on a stool if lower legs/feet need treatment). If only portions of your body are affected, you will discuss with the provider about coverage of the unaffected areas.  The number of Joules of NV-UVB is carefully calculated based on your skin type, age, skin condition, and other factors. The skin may remain pale or turn slightly pink (the Minimal Erythemal Dose) after each treatment. Let one of the nurses or your provider know if you experience any discomfort.  You will be asked before each session whether you turned pink or had any other symptoms after the previous session. Tell one of the nurses prior to your session if you have any reaction to your treatment after the previous session (e.g. pinkness, redness, soreness) since your phototherapy dose may need to adjusted. At the end of each session, you will also be asked to write down the number of Joules and corresponding minutes that the cabinet display shows on a piece of paper in the room.

We will call your insurance to see if it is covered. It is highly recommended that you call as well. The diagnosis code for Vitiligo is 709.01, Psoriasis is 696.1, Atopic Dermatitis is 691.8, Pruritus is 698.9, Urticaria is 708.0, and Mycosis Fungoides is 202.1. The procedure code is 96910. When calling insurance, make sure and document the name of the person that you spoke with.  Ask if the procedure is covered, if it will be applied to a deductible, and if you have a co-pay for each treatment. We should obtain your email address and make sure that you are set up on our patient portal system before you leave the office. Once we hear back from your insurance, we will message you on the patient portal system with the coverage benefits that we found out from your insurance. At this time we will also request that you message us back letting us know if you would like to proceed with the testing and when you would like to schedule. If you opt not to use the patient portal system, we can call you but we apologize in advance if we “play phone tag”. If you have any further questions please ask your healthcare provider, message us on the Patient Portal, or call our office at 817-795-7546, ext 310.