Psoriasis
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| According to the National Psoriasis
Foundation (www.psoriasis.org), psoriasis is an immune-mediated, genetic
disease manifesting in the skin and/or the joints. It affects nearly 2%
of the population. In plaque psoriasis, the most
common type, patches of skin called "lesions" become inflamed
and are covered by silvery white scale. Psoriasis can be limited to a
few lesions or can involve moderate to large areas of skin |
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| Psoriasis is not contagious. No one knows exactly what
causes psoriasis, but it is believed to have a genetic component. Most
researchers agree that the immune system is somehow mistakenly
triggered, which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin
cell matures and falls off the body's surface in 28 to 30 days. But a
psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to
the surface. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up and
form the lesions. |
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| Psoriasis is a chronic (life-long) illness. Most
people need ongoing treatments and visits to the doctor. In severe
cases, people may need to be hospitalized. About 56 million hours of
work are lost each year by people who suffer from psoriasis, and between
$1.6 billion and $3.2 billion is spent per year to treat psoriasis.
Traditional treatments range from topical creams or ointments to oral
medications (which must be monitored for systemic side-effects) to
ultraviolet phototherapy, which is extremely time consuming and has
other associated risks. |
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Palm psoriasis before
treatment
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After 5 bi-weekly treatments
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| Why Harmony™ is a good choice |
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| Today, Harmony's pulsed UVB therapy offers psoriasis
sufferers an alternative that : |
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- Involves no pharmaceuticals.
- Treats only the affected areas.
- Takes only minutes.
- Can provide relief in fewer sessions than traditional UV
phototherapy.
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| In addition to psoriasis, Harmony's UVB light source
is indicated for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (eczema) and
seborrheic dermatitis. |
