Things You Need to Know About Light Therapy for Eczema

Light therapy — also called phototherapy — is a treatment used for eczema and other skin conditions. During light therapy, your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, which can curb the overactive immune cells that cause inflammation in eczema. This can help your symptoms. The most common type of light therapy used for eczema is narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB). This type uses wavelengths of UVB light, but light therapy can also use ultraviolet A (UVA) light.

If you have moderate to severe eczema and your symptoms don’t improve with topical treatments, you may be a good candidate for light therapy. Phototherapy works for those with eczema in one or two areas and with widespread eczema. People who have certain conditions — such as liver disease or lupus — should avoid light therapy. Talk to your doctor to make sure light therapy is a good choice for you before you try it.

During a light therapy session, you’ll get inside a booth that shines light across your skin. Your doctor will likely ask you to wear goggles to protect your eyes from UV light. Sessions usually only last a few minutes. If you’re only treating a certain area of your body, you may sit or lie on a table while your doctor or their assistant waves a wand over the area. It depends on your eczema and treatment goals.

Usually, you’ll get light therapy from a provider in a doctor’s office, hospital, or clinic. In some cases, you may also do light therapy at home, but it depends on your case and goals for treatment. Research shows that effectiveness is similar whether you do light therapy at home or in a clinic. FDA-approved home light therapy devices include both full-body booths and portable devices that target specific areas of the body. LED face masks are also available, but these aren’t FDA-approved and have less research backing them.

Your light therapy treatment will be personalized to you and your eczema. You’ll start with a few treatments per week, which your doctor may reduce over time. Most people see improvements in symptoms after about six to eight sessions, though it can take as many as 25. If you don’t see results after about six months, your doctor will likely suggest trying another approach. Light therapy treatment usually continues until your skin is clearing and itching gets better.

Light therapy is highly effective for eczema, improving symptoms like redness and itching and even clearing the skin for some people. Research also shows that light therapy significantly improves quality of life in people living with eczema. UV light can also help prevent bacterial infections, which can be a problem when you have eczema. Light therapy has similar effectiveness when using both UVA or UVB light.

Light therapy is safe, but there are still some potential side effects. These include sunburn, tender or dry skin, and wrinkles. You may notice redness on your skin after treatments. Speak to a doctor if this doesn’t fade after 24 hours. There’s a chance light therapy may increase your odds of skin cancer, but the risk is very low. Tell your doctor if you have more serious side effects, like blisters or signs of infection.

How much you’ll pay depends on where you get it and whether you have insurance. Light therapy is typically covered by insurance for people with eczema. But insurance companies may not approve at-home light therapy. You’ll likely need a prescription from your doctor explaining why the device is medically necessary for you. Research shows that light therapy is generally less expensive per treatment period compared with biologic drugs also used to treat moderate to severe eczema.

If your symptoms aren’t improving with light therapy, talk to your doctor about trying another approach instead. Your doctor may prescribe a Janus kinase inhibitor pill such as upadacitinib (Rinvoq) or abrocitinib (Cibinqo). Or, they may prescribe immunosuppressant pills to control inflammation, such as prednisone or cyclosporine. Injectable biologic drugs like dupilumab (Dupixent), lebrikizumab-lbkz (Ebglyss), nemolizumab-ilto (Nemluvio), and tralokinumab (Adbry) can also help with severe eczema. Your doctor may also suggest wet dressings, a treatment where ointment is sealed to the skin with gauze.