Starting UVB Light therapy

Hi again , UVB is often the first line treatment (other then creams) for MF........ you just transported me back 20 years when I had started my first UVB.

At its basic level - UVB will make you skin grow quicker and in turn will grow out the affected areas. You can see my profile, but I was also about 70-80% coverage and UVB did a great job pushing it back.

UVB will not get rid of it as it is still in your bloodstream but it will give you some rest bit.

I was having 10 - 12 weeks a year so that was about 30 - 36 zaps and eventually moved onto PUVA.

What was your first duration?

Do you know the % increase for each zap?

The main things to look out for:

Dry skin, so lots of moisturiser - the best one I had was Hydramol and I got this on prescription. Dermol shower cream and hand wash worked for me - again all available on prescription. I was not allowed to use an electric shaver (not that I did) but had to use moisturiser to shave with...... so learned to save in the shower and I still do this!!

Based from wearing denim - as this was like wearing sandpaper..... so mostly cotton cloths.

Watch the sun - even in winter as you will burn very quickly so cover up.

If you have 'prickly heat' tell them before your next treatment as your skin has not recovered from the last zap - it would then mean you miss that slot and your next zap will be the same as the very last one you had.

Lets look for the UVB to give the MF a good push back.

Hello Thehighlander and thank you for the reply.

I am to have 30 treatments under the UVB light, 3 times a week for 10 weeks. 

Monday was my very first zap for 49 seconds, not sure about the increase for each zap tho.

Anything woolen or rougher makes my skin itch. I do get many different random burning /stabbing pains tho, all over my body 24/7. The backs of my hands and wrists are also very sore all of the time, but I am getting used to this.

As for creams I use Balneum cream after having a wet shave as I have raised patches on my cheeks, both sides of my face, in my hair, back of my neck and under my chin too. I cover my whole head down to my neck with the Balneum and it makes my shaved areas painful for about 30 seconds and then soothes my skin for the next 24 hours until its fully absorbed.

I use Balneum for the soles of my feet up to my ankles. The rest of my body I use Dermol 500 as it dries into my skin quite quickly.

For my perineum I have to wash with Cetraban ointment as I have a large raised patch from buttocks to groin.

The tips on 'prickly heat' and sunlight are appreciated.

I am learning something different every day about trying to deal with this cancer and I have discovered that keeping myself busy helps me cope on a daily basis. Being my wife's main carer helps keep me from dwelling on my own issues for too long.

Sorry if this is too much information.

Looking forward to the MF being pushed back.

Never apologise for long posts as this is what the Community is for.

The broken areas were hard to deal with and my worst were also on my buttocks and groin.

When is was very bad I was given large Allevyn or Tagaderm Foam Soft Edge dressings (rather expensive) and these were very effective in helping me live life without leaving a trail of blood everywhere. Sitting was at times uncomfortable but the dressings helped me sit without having to think about how I could sit.

..... my % increase on every treatment was always 15%

You do need to learn to understand how they set the machine up and confirm that the machine is set correctly as over the years, on a number of occasions I have highlighted that the machine was not set correctly - this is important as I was burned in the early days.