A 2-year-old British girl diagnosed with a rare skin disease has been spending time in a tanning bed, thanks to her doctor’s orders. Although the disease typically affects children, the toddler is the youngest known patient to be treated for diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis, which causes painful blistering likened to burns from cigarettes. The ailment only strikes two of every million people.
The physician’s prescription included 30 sessions of UVA light via a tanning bed. After the completion of the four-month treatment cycle, the youngster’s mother enthusiastically reports a vast improvement in the child’s sores, stating, “Although using something like a sunbed to treat a baby might seem strange, it's perfectly safe and has really helped” her daughter.
According to the article, the tanning bed’s UV rays help steady the body’s cells which are responsible for emitting histamine – the blisters’ cause.
Although patients with the rare illness typically see reduced symptoms as they grow older, if the blisters continue to appear into adulthood, no cure has been found. Puberty appears to be the time period when symptoms disappear if they’re going to. For the aforementioned toddler, that could mean more tanning treatments through the years. However, her doctor is very optimistic that the girl will make a full recovery down the road.
Related Articles:
Light Therapy: Keeping The Focus On Skin
Source:
foxnews.com: 2-year-old Girl Treats Crippling Skin Disease with Tanning Bed
