1. Community
  2. Skin and nails
  3. Granuloma Annulare

UVB treatment does it work?

Posted , 6 users are following.

helen17414
helen17414

i have had GA, for 3 years, started on my stomach, now all over legs and spreading up sides of my body, I noticed when sitting in sun for good couple hours, last year,it started to fade on my feet

im now on week 3 of UVB, treatment, only up to 1 min 55 seconds, go 3 times a week, no improvement as yet?getting worse , they say takes longer ,have to wait see if any results, did try steroids but just came back, left wrist is getting nippy now? Not looking forward to my summer holidays

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • ron59024
    ron59024 helen17414

    Posted

    Hi Helen,

    I have read that the sun exacerbates and even causes many abnormal skin conditions. I have a skin problem on my lower legs which was misdiagnosed (after a plug biopsy) to be granduloma annulare. It turned out to be a rare skin condition thought to be caused by the sun called Disseminated Porokeratosis. I have tried everything, both oral and topical meds to no avail...many of the steroids and other creams/ointments have actually made it worse by causing inflamation. The only thing that I have found which appears to be reducing the imflamation and size of the lesions is 40% zinc oxide (diaper rash) cream. It also helps cover them up...some people think it is suntan lotion. Wishing you my best, Ron

    • helen17414
      helen17414 ron59024

      Posted

      Hi Ron,

      after having a biopsy, the skin specialist said probably GA ,when getting stitches removed by a nurse ,she mentioned someone with GA was getting UVB treatment and there was improvement, I'm on week 4 but only 2 mins the now,goes up slightly each time

      thanks for your advice , try zinc oxide when my treatment over ,if that does not work,thanks 

  • elise24689
    elise24689 helen17414

    Posted

    Hi Helen, i have had GA for nearly 2 years. Started with a steroid cream but they became too numerous. Now they are on my arms, legs, feet, hands, back and seem to be increasing. I just started UVB and have been to my 6th session-up to 30 seconds. Specialist told me I won't see any changes for 4-5 weeks. So I am interested in how your treatment goes. I will be very upset if it does nothing as next available option is drugs which is too risky. I know I should consider myself lucky not to have a harmful disease but it does affect your self esteem.

    Keep in touch

    • helen17414
      helen17414 elise24689

      Posted

      Hi Elise, I'm on number 14 , of my UVB treatment , at no4 she said yday, 3 mins 6 seconds, there is no change on my legs blotches are at the purple stage, my stomach ones seem to be improving?maybe they have time their time going themselves, will let you know how next couple weeks go, covering up my back now as was getting burnt, hope yours improves, going on summer holiday in August, maybe the sun there will help, like you don't want to show myself of to everyone really, must be a connection between us all, I work in water a lot different chemicals, and did get bitten a lot by fleas of my last cat, who I always treated, I was very allergic to flea bites, and scratched scarred myself , any connection?
    • elise24689
      elise24689 helen17414

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply.  I have only noticed my lumps becoming a bit drier, flaky, but not sure that is just my imagination.  I am trying to be a bit more positive about the phototherapy now.  Specialist told me there is an 80% chance of it clearing so I think it's pretty good odds.  The ones on my legs are more purple now but that was the case before going into the phototherapy. He also said that the sun suppresses the immune system so it doesn't do any harm to enjoy the sun on your holiday.  I have not ever had hives or bites or allergies and yet I have this condition, so I don't think it is connected to your flea bite history.  I believe the condition is systemic and have tried Chinese herbs (2 courses) to try to flush out my system but no result. I don't want to take oral steroids so I may have to deal with it - it is my cross to bear and many people have far worse.

      I like keeping in touch. 

       

    • ron59024
      ron59024 elise24689

      Posted

      Hi Elise, You have stated above that, "the sun suppresses the immune system". With that in mind, I would think that one would try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Many of these skin conditions are believed to be related to sun exposure and weakened immune systems.

       

    • elise24689
      elise24689 ron59024

      Posted

      Hello Ron, I appreciate that some conditions may be related to sun exposure, but GA, or rather the GA I have is an auto-immune disorder.  It is not known why it happens but my body's white blood cells (overactive immune) are clumping underneath my skin and causing the ring-shaped inflammation.  UVB narrow band heat exposure is known to correct psoriasis, Grover's disease and in some cases, GA. The clearing of it may not be permanent though. Thanks for your discussion.
  • helen17414
    helen17414

    Posted

    Thanks for reply, just today noticed rash on legs today, look bit fainter,mine are also purple, feet blotches not moving, I used quite a bit steroid on them in beginning, I'm carrying on with phototherapy treatment, let you know if starts improving more, just booked our holiday to Majorca last night,hope sun there helps it, yes so true ,some have lot worse than us.
  • elise24689
    elise24689 helen17414

    Posted

    Helen, I am going to my last 4 treatments this week and I am afraid it has not worked. I am up to 2 min 25 and they are drier and seem less raised on my arms but the leg ones are the same and more have appeared. I was going to abandon the UVB because it is a long way from my home and time consuming but since I went through 25 treatments, starting at 12 seconds, it would be wiser to finish the full 30 sessions. I hope you have better luck.  I am now considering the short course of oral steroids.  

    Enjoy your holiday!

     

    • nickoftime19
      nickoftime19 elise24689

      Posted

      Hi Elise - any update on your GA. I'm going on 4 years. Mine started with one red bump that I thought might be an ingrown hair. Then more ... and more ... all over my legs. Then spread to my elbows, hands, stomach. Just keeps getting worse. Have had two biopsies confirming GA. Seen 7 dermatologists. Currently undergoing MB UVB phototherapy. I'm also driving a long way and seeing no results. In fact, there seems to be more than ever. I tried steroid creams, the 3 drug combo one of the studies suggested might work, aloe, apple cider vinegar, milk of magnesia, and coconut oil. The only thing that helped were the kenalog injections I used to get back when I only had a few. Now I have way too many. Would love to hear if anything worked for you.

  • helen17414
    helen17414

    Posted

    Elise, I also stopped before full uvb treatment was  completed as I was getting a bit burnt ,not worth it , although my leg rash/ circles faded, I kept using a little steroid on a wrist bit, soon as I stopped feel it coming back, I think GA decides itself when it is going to go, good luck, hope they come up real remedy , and what causes it too start ?
  • susan95468
    susan95468 helen17414

    Posted

    Hi everyone - here is my experience - and I do believe UVB has worked for me. My first lesion appeared in December 2013 when I was 58 on the inside of one knee. It spread to other parts of my legs, wrists, elbows, trunk, back - particularly joints - so a textbook case. I tried steroid creams (sometimes this cleared lesions which had just appeared - but then I developed so many and as they didn't itch I didn't always see them straight away) - I also tried cider vinegar (yuck), aloe Vera cream and I tried gluten free (a bit half hearted). What I did notice was that sunlight seemed to control the outbreak of lesions - I spent 4 months in the summer of 2015 in a sunny climate - and no new lesions developed. When I returned to London towards the end of 2015 I stared an intense course of UVB phototherapy - 2-3 times a week for 3 months. At the end, the nurses told me that many of the lesions no longer seemed to be active - and that over time the scarring would disappear. I was a bit dismissive and thought to myself ' yet another treatment that hasn't worked' BUT the condition is finally disappearing - from my legs, arms, wrists and it is starting to fade on my trunk.

    I have included some photos - the photo at the end was taken in November 2015 and there is a very clear lesion - I took the other two today - hardly anything there.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.