How Does Phototherapy Work?

How Does Phototherapy Work and What Equipment is Needed?

Phototherapy

Phototherapy can be extremely beneficial for the treatment of psoriasis or vitiligo. It is a safe procedure if guidelines are followed and the right equipment used but can also be harmful if not done correctly. This form of light therapy involves the exposure of the skin to UVB light using Philips TL01/PL01 Narrowband lamps as recommended by scientists, doctors, dermatologists and hospitals worldwide.

UVB Phototherapy light slows the growth of the affected cells and makes the skin behave more like normal,this in turn helps reduce the symptoms of psoriasis and vitiligo. The Philips TL01 tubes used in a our Narrowband units emit the scientifically proven “therapeutic wavelength” of 311nm.

Over 400 clinical tests prove that Narrowband UVB treatment using Philips TL01 tubes is more effective than other forms of light treatment. For a more detailed explanation of the treatment, you can learn more about phototherapy and narrowband on our information pages.

What Equipment is Needed for Phototherapy Treatment?

Here at MBS we can assist you with help and advice to ensure that you purchase the correct home equipment that use only the Philips Narrowband TL01/PL01 tubes. The convenience of having treatment at home can help save you time and money in the long term but ensures you are still receiving the correct treatment using the same units that many hospitals use.

There are different types of units available depending on the severity of you condition.

If your psoriasis condition is moderate to severe, then a UPVC canopy can be purchased which allows for full body coverage to quickly treat large scale cases of psoriasis. These are fully equipped with up to 9 Philips TL01 UVB narrowband tubes allowing you to use the unit over a bed or standing up.

If your condition is more severe then hospital style cabinets are available with up to 24 Philips TL01 UVB narrowband tubes, full body coverage in one short session.

There are also handheld devices that treat the smallest patches of psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema etc. This only uses 1 Philips PL01 9w Narrowband tube but very effective for small isolated areas.

Slightly larger areas then the mini unit on a stand with Philips PL01 36w Narrowband is designed for treatment on more localised areas of the body such as the arms and legs etc. This product comes equipped with a swivel stand.

Please do not hesitate to call us with any questions you may have.

andrea Turner

2024-03-20

Excellent purchase. The only treatment that comes near to curing my psoriasis. Excellent customer service and ongoing support if its required . Would recommend 100% Andrea

sharon shazam

2024-03-15

Top marks for MBS. Roy was firstly able to offer me lots of advice on the unit I was buying and made it clear he was available anytime to go over any queries . The unit arrived sooner than he stated and we were able to use it immediately. My son’s psoriasis responds very quickly to light treatment and after two weeks there were noticeable signs of improvement. He has been using it for a month following the guidelines for use, and he is delighted with the results. He has previously had treatment through NHS, but this is not available when you most need it. Although this was a big cost to us, I am absolutely happy we afforded it as we are now able to keep on top of future breakouts. And thank you Roy for a follow up call and great customer relations.

Emma Connolly

2024-02-07

I highly recommend MBS. I have had psoriasis for over 10 years and have had phototherapy once before previously at a hospital. I was at first reluctant to hire a unit rather than go through the nhs again. However, with waiting lists over a year long i enquired about hiring the 9 tube canopy unit and Roy got in touch straight away. The detailed information provided immediately put me at ease and the service was excellent with Roy able to deliver the unit within a few days. I had been relying on different topical creams including enstillar, but they never completely cleared my psoriasis and i was concerned about what the long term effects could be. The light therapy, as well as being much less time consuming, has worked so much better than the topical creams. My skin is now completely clear for the first time in years. I would not hesitate to use MBS again.

Susan Flatley

2024-01-12

Both myself and my daughter have psoriasis. Generally, my psoriasis is calm but I react to strep infection which results in a sudden flare up of guttate psoriasis which covers me from head to toe and is awful. I have had light therapy at the Mater Hospital and Beaumont – so I know how effectively it works. Now, age 54, after another flare-up, I did some research, found nowhere in Ireland that sold UV lamps, and came across MBS. In short, I think they are the best – their lamps are all "hospital-grade" and Roy is knowledgable about how they all work for particular skin types and severity of skin disorders. It was great to actually talk to a "real person" about it all. So, I took the plunge and made the investment in a full size, 7-UVB-canopy lamp. That was 8 weeks ago, I started at 30 secs, increasing slowly to 2.5 mins. It works immediately –(I knew it would)– the itching calms down first, then slowly the legions get flatter, then they fade to pink and then are gone. My face and upper body cleared within a few weeks. The more stubborn lower legs are almost disappeared at this stage. My daughter has plaque psoriasis almost constantly. (It breaks my heart.) In the summer, we always try to get out in the sun, which is amazing. She had been using tanning salon sunbeds quite a lot, which is not ideal. I am really glad now to have a proper therapeutic lamp in our own home to use exactly when we need it, no waiting on referrals and no long treks to the hospital every second morning. Yes, it was a substantial investment, but there is massive peace-of-mind having it here at home, knowing it is effective and not having to depend on ointments. Myself and my husband collected our unit from Roy in Warrington. It fitted in the back of our estate car. Trip went very smoothly! I highly recommend.

Ellie E

2023-11-10

I’ve suffered from Psoriasis for over 40 years; I had a major flare up a few months ago after contracting Covid (the sore throat which accompanied this was a trigger). After trying the usual steroid ointments and various creams nothing was really helping and by this time 75% of my body was covered in painful plaques and the itching accompanying this was unbearable and it severely impacted my life. I had previously had UVB treatment at my local hospital which had been very successful in alleviating my condition, however this option was not open to me due the length of the waiting list and I was told I would have to wait until early next year to have more phototherapy. I did some research online and found Much Better Skin; after a call to Roy who was very helpful I ordered a unit and it arrived a couple of weeks later. Approximately 8 weeks later my skin is now completely clear - I felt the benefits after just a few sessions and the awful itching had lessened considerably. I honestly can’t recommend this unit highly enough - it’s given me my life back and although the canopy isn’t cheap it is worth every penny paid. I now have the peace of mind that when I have an inevitable flare up in the future I’ll be able to treat myself at home right away.

Simonne Tate

2023-10-20

It's time to make Roy blush again! I don't normally leave reviews but I just had to share my experience with MBS. This company is more than 5 stars in my opinion. My first conversation with Roy, I tried my luck and called on a Sunday afternoon; to my wonderful surprise Roy answered the call. I will be forever grateful that he did. After Roy ascertaining my needs on that call, such as the extent and coverage of the Psoriasis, I placed my order for the 9 tube Philips light unit the next morning. I received my unit within the month as explained. The delivery driver's clearly have the same work ethic as Roy as they were very informative regarding the use of the system and left me with some top tips for great results. I am currently 10 sessions in and for the first time since I was 18 (currently 45!) my skin is flat, I don't make it snow where ever I go! (if you know you know!), I knew I had exhausted the list of endless creams from the doctors that haven't worked and I knew I didn't want to go to the next stage the biological injections, so I did some research and found my saviour MBS & Roy! My review doesn't end there; I was further blown away by receiving a welfare call from Roy checking how everything was going, this level of customer service and satisfaction is rare nowadays and with such a delicate subject matter it has cemented my thoughts regarding what an amazing service this company provides, not only is my skin transforming before my eyes but my mental health is also being cared for by this company. A million thankyou's.

David Simpson

2023-09-28

Very helpful regarding ordering and quick professional delivery and unpacking. I have had psoriasis since having tonsillitis over 10 years ago. My skin is the best it has been thanks to the 9 tube curved phototherapy unit. It is large and expensive. It us quick to use and a lot easier than using creams or hand held nuvb devices. If you can afford it, I would recommend buying it. Thus is the same kind of device as you would get in hospital. Be careful when starting as it is easy to get burned. I have not developed a tan but can show my skin in public.

Sarah Martin

2023-08-30

Absolutely top service from MBS. Ordered a medical grade sun lamp for my daughter and they took my details as there was a waiting list. As soon as one came available (much earlier than I expected) they called me and I went to get it the next day. You can rent it and renew easily (they phone you) and my daughters psoriasis has cleared up completely. Much more reasonable than buying one and a pleasure to deal with the Company. Would highly recommend.

Nick Jones

2023-08-11

They’ve been very helpful with advice and their email communications from Amal have been very prompt, thank you

Giulia Bellesi

2023-02-03

I have suffered from psoriasis for many years and have previously responded very well to light therapy. I was referred for a new course but I have a young baby and travelling multiple times a week to the clinic was not going to be a feasible option for me. I had been contemplating purchasing a home canopy for a while but I felt concerned about the safety/reliability of these devices. A trusted medical professional from my home country (Italy) advised positively about their safety and eventually I decided to go ahead. I have found Roy from MBS Phototherapy very kind and knowledgeable about psoriasis and the way he runs the company appears very ethical. I have now used the canopy for 3 weeks and the improvement in my skin is remarkable and comparable to the results I have had having the same treatment in the public sector. I was concerned about the canopy being bulky but in reality it does not take up that much space and it is easy to move around.

How Does Phototherapy Work?