Light-hardening

Activation and increase of the body's own natural light protection through phototherapy or photochemotherapy at the beginning of the sunny season or before the start of a holiday trip. In this way it is possible to avoid severely impairing episodes of illness. Light-hardening can be done by UVB as well as by a combination of UVA and UVB. In principle one starts with very low doses of UVA/UVB (e.g. 1 J/cm2 UVA and 0.03 J/cm2 UVB) and increases slowly but continuously. If phototherapy fails and in cases of extreme photosensitization, photochemotherapy can also be used as the most effective prophylaxis.

Dermatitis, chronic actinic; reticuloid, actinic; light reaction, persistent; light urticaria; light dermatosis, polymorphic; eczema, endogenous photoaggravated.