DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
Together with phototherapy, it belongs to the medical treatments with light. Heliotherapy (Greek: Helios = sun) uses the natural sunlight. Phototherapy on the other hand uses artificial light sources such as UV or white light lamps.
IndicationThis section has been translated automatically.
Heliotherapy is used as part of climatic or balneotherapy. Today, skin diseases such as atopic eczema or psoriasis are treated by heliotherapy. Sunlight also has an effect on the psyche. A deficiency can lead to depression especially in the dark Nordic winters ("winter depression"). They can be counteracted with artificial light.
Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer