The return of cold winter weather in the northern hemisphere calls for hats, gloves, and scarves; the dry, cold air also means the arrival of seasonal wintertime itch for some and more painful flareups for others living with chronic eczema.
Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis, is defined by the National Eczema Association as “a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed”. Driven by genetic and/ or environmental factors, Eczema is not contagious, varies in severity and affects over 30 million Americans of all age groups ¹.
Knowing one’s triggers, avoiding allergens and irritants, keeping good hygiene, and properly moisturizing affected skin are all a good place to start when looking for a solution. Though no cure has been discovered, living with eczema is manageable given the proper diagnosis and treatment therapy. The good news is that those affected by seasonal itch or chronic eczema flare-ups have a safe, non-drug treatment available to them.
Ultraviolet phototherapy, which can be administered in a doctor’s office or at home with a personal unit, is a valid second-line treatment after non-drug and topical therapies have failed. The efficacy of phototherapy for treating eczema has been established in both adults and children². In addition to its proven efficacy, NBUVB phototherapy also has very few, and most importantly, external side effects.
Daavlin offers phototherapy units for both in-office use, as well as units for patients to use in the comfort of their own home. For those patients dealing with seasonal itch, a short course of in-office treatments is the best option. For the more chronic cases, a combination of both clinical and home phototherapy may be called for. In-office treatments can be billed under CPT codes 96900 and 96910. If a home unit is prescribed, our patient account specialists will work with the patient’s insurance company to determine benefits, at no cost or obligation.
Regardless of the type or severity, Daavlin offers a viable solution that will bring relief to those affected by eczema. For more information, visit www.Daavlin.com or call 1.800.322.8546 today.
(1) National Eczema Association website. https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/. Accessed December 15, 2017.
(2) Patrizi A, Raone B, Ravaioli GM. Management of atopic dermatitis: safety and efficacy of phototherapy. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2015;8:511-520. doi:10.2147/CCID.S87987.
