ABSTRACT
Ultraviolet (UV) A-1 phototherapy represents an investigational treatment form that was originally elaborated and tested for its efficacy for atopic dermatitis. A major difference between UVA-1 and UVB or UVA/UVB radiation is given by the fact that with UVA-1 phototherapy it has been possible to achieve therapeutic responses by penetrating deep into the dermis without the usual side effects caused by less penetrating UVB and UVB-like wavelengths in the UVA-2 region. Local UVA-1 phototherapy appears to be an interesting option in the management of patients with chronic vesicular dyshidrotic hand eczema. In marked contrast to UV radiation, which is a complete carcinogen, visible radiation does not increase the risk for skin cancer, and UV-free phototherapy might, therefore, be well suited for the treatment of children and young adults, who represent the vast majority of patients with atopic dermatitis. UVA-1 irradiation devices proved to be useful in photoprovocation testing for patients with UVA-sensitive photodermatoses, in particular polymorphic light eruption.
