JJ opens new skin treatment centre

At the centre, the patient undergoes the treatment inside a chamber with tubes emitting ultraviolet UV rays, according to Dr Chetan Oberoi, professor and head of skin, VD and leprosy. The rays are targetted at the affected patch of skin during a session lasting two to three minutes. For satisfactory cure the patient has to undergo such treatment for nearly six months, he added.

Explaining the normal treatment, Oberoi said that the patient is prescribed psoralen tablets following which he/she need to expose the body tosunlight, which contains UV rays. However, the patient cannot remove all clothes at home to sit under the sun, centres such as the one at JJ come handy, he stated.

While two per cent of the Indian population suffers from leucoderma, three per cent are affected by psoriasis. 8220;These diseases have the potential to rock families,8221; Dr Oberoi said, 8220;since people avoid coming close to the patients due to the prevalence of a misconception that it may spread by human contact.8221;

The JJ centre also has facilities to conduct minor surgeries for skin diseases like punch grafting, blister technique, derma abrasions and tatooing. All these operations are done under local anesthesia.