Red Light Therapy vs UVB in a Psoriasis or Eczema Healing Protocol
After more than a decade of dealing with psoriasis, and now more recently eczema, I've experimented with many different treatments. I extensively used UVB light therapy, since it could be combined with other treatments, to maximize my results. I was doing everything possible to manage my skin conditions, so UVB seemed like a great addition to my "healing stack."
Years ago, I had my own handheld UVB device that I used regularly and then eventually went to a dermatologist's UVB light booth for a total of 55 sessions. Fast forward to today, and I'm dealing with more severe eczema and psoriasis flare-ups, and I'm experimenting with red light therapy as an alternative.
In this blog post, I'll share my experience with UVB light therapy and why I'm now experimenting with red light therapy as an alternative.
Using a Handheld UVB Light Therapy Lamp
Years ago, when my only skin problem was psoriasis, I used a handheld UVB device. Before eventually stepping into my dermatologist's UVB light booth, I used the DermaHealer handheld UVB lamp at home.
Because it was handheld and had a small treatment area, every area with plaques had to be treated individually.
Since my psoriasis was widespread, this meant that using the device was time-consuming and required a lot of attention.
But it was slow and extremely time consuming and every flare meant starting the process over again. I decided to explore using a UVB light booth instead.
Switching to a UVB Light Therapy Booth
After using the handheld device for a while, I decided to try a UVB light booth at a dermatologist's office because it could be more effective and cover larger areas more quickly.
I went to a dermatologist’s UVB light booth 55 times.
Combined with steroid creams, my skin cleared over a 30 day period.
This was the fastest visible improvement I’ve ever experienced with psoriasis.
But something became clear over time:
If I had a flare, progress completely disappeared and I had to start over again. I also started to notice diminished effectiveness over time, almost like my skin was becoming resistant.
Ultimately, UVB light wasn't a sustainable solution, though it did help with some temporary relief.
Why UVB Is Recommended for Both Psoriasis and Eczema
UVB phototherapy is commonly prescribed for both Psoriasis and severe eczema.
For psoriasis, it slows rapid skin cell turnover, so plaques become less prominent. For eczema, it suppresses inflammatory signaling and can reduce itch.
It works for many people. Though in my opinion, it's more of a temporary suppression tool (similar to how steroids work) than a long-term one since it doesn't address the root causes. I also believe that skin becomes resistant to it over time.
Why I’m Using Red Light Therapy in My Psoriasis & Eczema Healing Protocol
Fast forward to today where I'm dealing with both severe psoriasis and eczema, I've had to rethink my strategy to focus on long-term stability.
Instead of UVB light therapy, I've added red light therapy into my healing protocol for severe eczema and psoriasis.
When I zoom out, UVB therapy functions more like steroid creams do. It suppresses immune activity in the skin. That suppression can be extremely helpful during an active flare. But it doesn’t appear to change the underlying drivers.
Red light therapy has skin-specific benefits, but it also has potential systemic effects.
Local Effects of Red Light Therapy
At the skin level, red light can:
- Improve wound healing
- Support keratinocyte function
- Reduce local inflammatory signaling
- Improve barrier recovery
That alone makes it useful for both eczema and psoriasis.
But what makes it more interesting to me is that it doesn’t have to be limited to the lesion itself.
Potential Systemic Effects
Red light doesn’t only act where you see it.
Mitochondria exist in every cell.
When you stimulate mitochondrial function in larger areas of the body (back, legs, abdomen), you may:
- Improve systemic circulation
- Lower oxidative stress
- Influence circulating immune cells
- Improve overall cellular energy availability
That’s a different approach compared to targeting only visible plaques.
I’m increasingly suspicious that my psoriasis and eczema are downstream expressions of a systemic issue — likely gut-related inflammation.
If that’s true, then focusing only on the skin will never be enough.
What About Gut Healing?
This is where things get interesting.
A large portion of the immune system is associated with the gut (GALT — gut-associated lymphoid tissue). If red light improves mitochondrial efficiency and reduces inflammatory signaling more broadly, it may indirectly support gut repair.
Some emerging research suggests red and near-infrared light may:
- Improve intestinal barrier integrity in animal models
- Reduce inflammatory markers
- Improve tissue repair in mucosal tissue
I’m not claiming red light “heals leaky gut.”
But if it improves cellular energy and reduces oxidative stress, those are upstream variables in any healing process — including gut healing.
That aligns with my current strategy.
Support vs Suppression
This is the core shift for me:
UVB helped control activity.
Red light may help rebuild function.
If my root issue is gut-driven inflammation, then I want interventions that:
- Improve systemic resilience
- Support mitochondrial function
- Lower baseline inflammation
- Strengthen barrier integrity (skin and possibly gut)
Red light fits that hypothesis better than UVB.
It may help locally.
It may help systemically.
And it doesn’t rely on suppression.
For someone trying to rebuild long-term stability instead of chasing flare cycles, that difference feels important.
If you want to see the exact protocol I’m currently using, you can read it here:
My Complete Red Light Therapy Protocol for Eczema and Psoriasis
Final Thoughts
UVB helped me at one point.
It reduced plaques quickly.
But it didn’t create durable stability.
Red light may not produce dramatic clearing.
But if it helps:
- Improve mitochondrial function
- Reduce systemic inflammation
- Increase tissue resilience
- Decrease reliance on suppression
Then it’s a different category of tool.
I’m currently dealing with both psoriasis and eczema.
And instead of chasing suppression cycles again, I’m testing whether supporting cellular function produces a different long-term outcome.
I’ll continue documenting what happens.