what is puva therapy
PUVA is an ultraviolet light therapy treatment for eczema, psoriasis, graft-versus-host disease, vitiligo, mycosis fungoides, large-plaque parapsoriasis and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma using the sensitizing effects of the drug psoralen.he most significant complication of PUVA therapy for psoriasis is squamous cell skin cancer. Two carcinogenic components of the therapy include the nonionizing radiation of UVA light as well as the psoralen intercalation with DNA.
Psoralen and UVA Treatment for Psoriasis. PUVA is one of the many treatment options for psoriasis using ultraviolet light to reduce skin thickening and sometimes resolve plaques completely. It is not a cure for psoriasis but can be very effective in managing the active stages of this skin disease.PUVA stands for P soralen and UVA.UVA is also used for the treatment of other skin conditions like vitiligo and eczema but it is most effective for the treatment of psoriasis. Not every case of psoriasis warrants the use of PUVA. It should only be considered if other forms of psoriasis treatment are ineffective as PUVA has a host of side effects.