Light Therapy plus Psoralen
Light therapy involves controlled exposure to ultraviolet rays to slow or stop the progression of vitiligo. It is done using narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) and may be more effective when this therapy is combined with medications like corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. Your doctors may recommend portable devices that discharge narrowband UVB for this treatment if you are unable to meet therapy appointments.
Treatment with this therapy is often done about three times a week. It may take several months before you see tangible change. Most people get the full effect by the sixth month. Side effects you may experience include redness, burning sensations, and itching. The side effects do not last more than a few hours. If using light therapy with corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors, the risk of side effects from these drugs remains the same. This is something you should consider.
Light therapy may also be combined with a plant-based medication known as psoralen. This combined therapy is known as PUVA. Psoralen may be administered orally or topically before exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) light.
According to the American Vitiligo Foundation, PUVA therapy is 85 percent [4] effective. Despite these benefits, PUVA has been replaced with narrowband UVB light therapy in many places because it is more difficult to administer [5].