How long does narrowband UVB phototherapy take to work for dyshidrotic eczema?

Treatment works gradually by giving controlled ultraviolet exposure to the affected skin. Early signs may include less itching, fewer new fluid-filled blisters, and reduced redness; established scaling or thickened skin can take longer to settle. The hands and feet may respond differently, and a flare can make progress harder to judge. Your clinician may adjust exposure based on your skin response rather than following a fixed calendar.

Attend sessions on the schedule provided and tell the phototherapy team about missed visits, new medicines, or any unusual reaction. Continue the moisturiser or prescribed eczema treatment advised for you, especially after washing. Protect untreated skin as instructed and do not add tanning or extra ultraviolet exposure. Keep a simple note of blistering, itch, cracking, and tenderness so changes are easier to discuss.

Contact your clinic promptly if treated skin becomes intensely painful, develops marked redness that does not settle, blisters extensively, or shows signs of infection such as increasing warmth, swelling, pus, or fever. Seek urgent help for facial swelling, breathing difficulty, or a rapidly spreading severe reaction.

Ask how many sessions are expected before review, which improvement matters most for your hands or feet, and what reaction should lead you to pause treatment. Clarify whether your creams should be applied before or after each visit and how missed appointments affect the plan.