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Sunlight has proven to be highly effective in curing psoriasis, an autoimmune disease. Sunlight stimulates and facilitates the production and synthesis of vitamin D in the skin, which helps in rectifying immune disorders.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system malfunctions and mistakenly attacks its own skin. Typical symptoms include scaly red or silvery patches on the arms, elbows, legs, knees, ears, back and scalp.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sunlight has been found to be very beneficial in the treatment of this disease. It is the reason why episodes of this skin illness lessen during the summer and increase during those months when sunlight is scarce.

People, who live in areas where sunlight is not adequate, can use UVB phototherapy lamps such as the TL-01 lamp to get the healing benefits of sunlight. These UVB lamps are widely used in various dermatology clinics for the treatment of psoriasis.

A scientific study done in Dermatology departments of 14 hospitals in the Netherlands found that when patients self administered Ultraviolet B phototherapy at home using TL-01 lamps, the treated skin area improved and severity reduced by as much as 82%. These patients performed equally well as compared to those treated in the hospitals with similar TL-01 lamps.

Some people, especially those who are fair skinned, are afraid of getting skin cancer from sunlight exposure. A scientific study done in Germany found that UVB exposure is not harmful in moderation. Sunlight, in fact, prevents as many as 20 different types of cancer.

Its powerful healing effect is due to the production of vitamin D under the skin. Vitamin D is a potent immune system enhancer. Scientists are discovering that Vitamin D plays a major role in preventing and curing various autoimmune diseases.

References

1. Davidson A., and others. Autoimmune Diseases. New England Journal of Medicine. August 2001;345(5):340-350.
2. Hancox JG., and others. Seasonal variation of dermatologic disease in the USA: a study of office visits from 1990 to 1998. International Journal of Dermatology. January 2004;43(1):6-11.
3. Koek MB., and others. Home versus outpatient ultraviolet B phototherapy for mild to severe psoriasis: pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled non-inferiority trial (PLUTO study). BMJ. 2009 May 7;338:b1542.
4. Weischer M., and others. No evidence for increased skin cancer risk in psoriasis patients treated with broadband or narrowband UVB phototherapy: a first retrospective study. Acta Dermato Venereologica. 2004;84(5):370-4.
5. Grant WB. Epidemiological evaluations of sun-induced vitamin D. Solar Radiation and Human Health. 2008.
6. Cantorna MT., and others. Mounting evidence for vitamin D as an environmental factor affecting autoimmune disease prevalence. Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood, N.J.). 2004 Dec;229(11):1136-42.

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