As a common treatment for vitiligo, light therapy is no exception for children. However, because children's skin is more delicate than that of adults, the light therapy of children with vitiligo needs to be more meticulous than that of adults.
So, how to choose the way of phototherapy for children with vitiligo, and how to use light therapy correctly!
First of all, the first question is "will the child be able to undergo light therapy"?
Many parents will worry that light therapy affects their children's bone development or increases their child's risk of cancer, at present, there is no literature to show that NB-UVB light therapy will affect the bone development of vitiligo children and increase their risk of skin malignancy, so parents can rest assured.
In fact, children can undergo light therapy, but there is a certain age limit.
According to some literature reports, children over the age of five or six can receive light therapy. However, children under the age of five or six can also undergo light therapy, but it should be judged according to the degree of cooperation of the child and the wishes of the family. That is to say, if the child cooperates, light therapy can generally be performed.
Secondly, how to choose the appropriate phototherapy method for vitiligo children?
At present, the mainstream children's light therapy is NB-UVB and 308nm targeted light therapy.
When the child has not seen obvious efficacy after 3-6 months of external medication or the child's leukoplakia is a more difficult part of the scalp, hands and feet, it is recommended to take combination of light therapy, which can improve the efficacy compared with monotherapy.
The main use of children's phototherapy is:
(1) NB-UVB, suitable for people: children with a large affected area. The use of NB-UVB for phototherapy irradiation can not only control the spread of leukoplakia, but also facilitate the recovery of pigment. It is recommended to irradiate NB-UVB 3 times a week at intervals of 1-2 days.
(2) 308nm excimer phototherapy, relatively small spot. Suitable for: Children with small affected areas. This method has a good polychromatic effect on white spots, but there are certain limitations on the irradiation area. It is recommended that 308 laser therapy be treated twice a week at intervals of 2-3 days.
Finally, what should I pay attention to when phototherapy for children with vitiligo?
(1) Before illumination: patients can apply sunscreen to the skin around the lesion in advance; if the affected area is around the eyes, it is recommended to wear goggles or cover the child's eyes with thick cloths, clothing, etc.; do not apply external drugs within 4 hours before illumination, so as not to reduce the effect of light therapy.
(2) In the light: younger vitiligo children should be accompanied by their families when treated.
(3) After illumination: try to avoid touching water within 2 hours after illumination; if the skin is itchy and dry after light therapy, you can apply emollients appropriately to alleviate it; at the same time, parents should do a good job of life maintenance for their children. Scientific diet, pay attention to avoiding mouth, proper rest, to ensure adequate sleep.
Finally, it is necessary to remind the parents of the children that the child's ability to bear is weak, and many children have psychological shadows due to the impact of the disease. Therefore, while treating children's vitiligo, it is necessary to pay attention to reducing the burden on the child, whether it is learning or life, and do not put too much pressure on the child.