CIGNA Member Correction

CIGNA members: Please note that you may receive a letter in the mail stating that The Dermatology Center of Indiana is no longer in your network. This communication from CIGNA is incorrect and we would like to reassure you that we are still in network with CIGNA. We look forward to continuing to service you and your family for all your dermatology needs.

Narrow Band UVB Phototherapy

Narrow Band UVB Therapy is one of the most common forms of phototherapy used to treat skin diseases. The “Narrow Band” refers to a specific wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, approximately 310 to 312 nanometers. The narrow band UVB therapy can be used for both whole-body treatments and small body area treatments. In the case of a whole-body treatment, the patient will stand in a cabinet-like structure filled with long fluorescent bulbs. The patient’s whole body—except the body covered by underwear and the protective goggles—will be exposed anywhere from seconds to minutes. For a smaller area, a localized UVB treatment is used with shorter fluorescent bulbs in a hand-held device. Examples of areas that qualify as small are hands, feet, or small body regions. Narrow Band UVB treatment can result in burning, much like burns from sunlight. The skin after treatment may remain pale or turn slightly pink after each treatment, however. This treatment can commonly be used for Psoriasis which will generally have a decrease in thickness after five or ten treatments. This treatment has also been shown to be effective towards atopic eczema, vitiligo, pruritus, lichen planus, polymorphous light eruption, early cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and dermographism.