Psoralen and UVA therapy (PUVA)

PUVA therapy combines a medication called psoralen with exposure to UVA light to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Psoralen makes the skin more sensitive to light, and UVA light helps slow down excessive skin cell growth, reducing inflammation and scaling. The treatment involves applying psoralen either orally or topically, then exposing the skin to carefully controlled UVA light sessions. PUVA can be effective but requires monitoring to minimize side effects like skin aging or increased risk of skin cancer. It’s typically used when other treatments have not been successful.