Effects of narrowband UVB, UVA1 and PUVA treatments on dermatoscopic features of melanocytic nevi

UV radiation can lead to clinical and dermatoscopic changes by causing activation and proliferation of melanocytes.Although UV radiation has widespread usage in the treatment of several skin diseases, only few studies of its effect on dermatoscopic features of melanocytic nevi have been performed to date. The present study was designed to determine the effects of narrowband UVB, UVA1 and PUVA treatments on dermatoscopic features of melanocytic nevi.The study included total 55 patients who referred to our phototherapy unit for the treatment of miscellaneous skin disorders; 21 patients took narrowband UVB, 18 patients took UVA1 and 16 patients took PUVA treatment. Dermatoscopic images of 233 melanocytic nevi in narrowband UVB group, 233 melanocytic nevi in UVA1 group and 229 melanocytic nevi in PUVA group were evaluated for the alterations of size, pigmentation, dermatoscopic structures and patterns before the treatment, first and thirth months of the treatments. Total dermatoscopic scores were calculated according to ABCD rule.It was demonstrated that narrowband UVB, UVA1 and PUVA treatments did not cause significant changes in the size of melanocytic nevi. Increase in pigmentation of melanoctic nevi in PUVA group was statistically significant. Narrow band UVB, UVA1, PUVA treatments cause statistically significant changes in dermatoscopic structures of melanocytic nevi. At the tirth month of the treatment there was a statistically significant increase in the number of the melanocytic nevi in narrowband UVB group which had got dots. The nevus rates that had changes in dermatoscopic structures did not statistically differ between the groups Increase in the number of the dots and globules was the most commonly detected change in the groups. Also there wasn?t statistically significant difference between the groups for changes in dermatoscopic patterns and TDS of melanocytic nevi.In summary our results show that narrowband UVB, UVA1 and PUVA treatments have statistically significant effects on dermatoscopic features of melanocytic nevi in 3 months. So we should be careful about probable displastic changes of UV on melanocytic nevi of the patients who took phototherapy.