Treatment of pigmented purpuric dermatoses with Narrow-band UVB: a report of six cases

Background Pigmented purpuric dermatoses (PPD) are a group of chronic disorders that pose a therapeutic challenge. Objective In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of narrow band ultraviolet B (NB UVB) in the treatment of PPD. Patients and methods Six patients of PPD were treated with NB UVB: one patient had Majocchi's purpura and five had Schamberg's disease. NB UVB was given on three weekly basis till clearance, then maintenance treatments were scheduled as twice weekly for 3 weeks and once weekly for another 3 weeks. The patients were followed up to 1 year. Results Successful treatment was achieved in all treatment patients after 24-28 NB UVB treatments and maintenance of nine treatments. Only two patients showed flare of their lesions after stoppage of NB UVB and efficiently controlled with further 14 NB UVB treatments. Conclusion NB UVB is effective in the treatment of PPD and should be considered as a treatment option for PPD.