Phototherapy and photochemotherapy in childhood dermatoses

The concept of phototherapy and photochemotherapy is not new, and sophisticated ultraviolet (UV) treatment modalities are available for almost three decades. However, phototherapy has not been used in children as extensively as in adults, probably due to long-term safety concerns. Photochemotherapy (psoralen plus UVA) is not considered to be safe in the younger age group. UV therapies can be useful treatment options for children with selected dermatological conditions provided they are used under carefully controlled conditions. Presently there is insufficient data available to provide recommendations regarding the safe maximum dose and duration of phototherapy in children. Developments of new UV delivery systems and devices are aimed at improving the safety and efficacy of phototherapy. In this review, we discuss the published literature on phototherapy and photochemotherapy in children, drawbacks of their use in pediatric population and future prospects.