Can phototherapy treat white spots from a food allergy?

Hello doctor,

I have experienced tiny white spots on my hand and leg for the past four years due to a food allergy. I decided to use NBUVB phototherapy to resolve it. Before four years, all spots disappeared in just a month with ten treatments; the final treatment took approximately three minutes. After four years, I resumed therapy. Because I was burning, I raised the number of sessions gradually, and in six months, I completed 25; the last session lasted only three minutes. Despite this, the spots are still present, and my progress is only ten percent. My current query is: This time, color is not being formed because the skin is resistant to light for three minutes due to previous treatment. Will this color develop in three minutes? Kindly help.

Hello doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

Would the doctor administer a dose of three joules per square centimeter if the treatment lasts for three minutes? Or does the doctor need to adjust the settings on the machine separately? Is a treatment session every two weeks adequate for achieving positive outcomes? Or is it recommended to undergo treatment weekly to observe results? Your assistance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

After treatments exceeding 2.4 minutes, I experience burning sensations, resulting in redness and tanning on my leg and hand. Unfortunately, this burning takes up to 7 days to resolve, limiting my ability to undergo more than 2 treatments per week. Even after 10 days, the tanning persists, and continuing multiple treatments over 2.4 minutes causes my skin to become burnt, darkened, and unresponsive to touch, resembling dead skin. In this challenging situation, I seek your guidance on the best course of action. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

Understood, I will commence the treatment with a lower duration and aim for three sessions per week over the next two weeks. Following this, I will assess the results with optimism. Regarding the side effects from my previous treatment five years ago, where my leg became burnt, tanned, and seemingly lifeless to the touch, I would appreciate your suggestions for any creams or remedies to revert my skin to its previous condition. Attached are some images for your reference.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I have discontinued phototherapy treatment due to concerns about potential long-term adverse effects, such as cancer, especially since the current results have been negligible. Over the past seven months, I have undergone a total of 41 treatments, with 20 sessions exceeding 2 minutes. However, the outcomes have been extremely minimal, with only a 5% improvement noted. During 12 of these sessions, the doctor increased the dosage, but it seems that all efforts thus far have not yielded significant results. Is there any way to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment, or are there alternative methods to restore color to my skin?

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

Actually, there were a total of 41 treatments administered over a span of 7 months. However, I was only able to maintain a regimen of three sessions per week for two weeks before having to discontinue. For the remainder of the sessions, they were mostly conducted twice a week. Despite this effort, the results yielded only a minimal improvement of around 5 %. Additionally, I experimented with Tacrolimus for one month and Halomesh for one week, but discontinued their usage due to the lack of any discernible response. Regarding Tofacitinib, I briefly tried it for approximately 4-5 days; however, I suspect it triggered an allergic reaction and exacerbated the condition. Could it be possible? Considering the challenges with prior medications, I'm hesitant to retry Tofacitinib. Are there any viable alternatives worth exploring? Furthermore, I have also attempted other medications such as Melgain lotion and Luko skin ointment. However, I have observed a gradual increase in spot formation, particularly on my legs, which leads me to believe they may be exacerbating the condition, potentially due to my pre-existing allergic condition.