Does anyone know if using a tanning bed/booth is good or bad for vitilito if you can not get insurance to cover UVB machine at the dermatologist? I bought a personal UVB wand that i use 3x a week which is helping a bit. Of course my insurance recognizes vitligo as a "cosmetic condition" and will not support visits to use the in-office UVB machine. Considering all tanning beds do have UVB - wondered if I should just get a tanning package and go 1x per week during the winter as an added bonus to using the UVB wand at home to help with re-pigmentation. I have a lot of tiny white spots in random areas, so it takes forever with the wand and can be done in a tanning bed all at once.
Would love some feedback! Thanks!
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Hi Kevin,
I am not sure about tanning booth. That was the first " no - no" rule of my dermatologist. As I know, tanning booth has bulbs who are emmiting UVA, as welll as UVB light. But in our case we need special spectar of UVB only ( narrowband).
I was googling about buying full body unit. If you want to buy full body unit (nb uvb the same as it is used in doctor's office), you could buy it with the insurance. Their selling agents are dealing with insurance companies, so it is good, snce you don't have to stress yourself with insurance agents. I am still interested in buying this machine, so if you have any replay from them please inform me :)
http://www.daavlin.com/patients/
Thank you Maria. My insurance wouldnt even support UVB use at the dermatologist, or a RX for protopic... insurance said that vitiligo is "Cosmetic".. which is so maddening! I tried appealing explaining how it has social, emotional affects and that its not just cosmetic. Didnt get anywhere. If thee is a loophole you have found that gets insurance to support purchasing UVB devices please let me know. Much appreciated!
OMG! I know that Protopic 30 gr in US is around 240 $, if it is bought without insurance coberage. In Europe 60 mg costs 50 eur (also without insurance)... About this company they claim that he cooperate with insurance (medicare included), and they claim succsess in their cooperation in the favor of the client.
I was writing in some other post how important it is that vitiligo finaly get accepted as a disease (an authoimune), not cosmetical issue!!! It is very important. I sugested to write some kind of a letter wich would be signed by all memebers in this community, asking from medical establishment to recognize vitiligo as a disease, to ask insurance companies to support our treatments, medications and etc... Why would the changed their policy if we are suffering silently. One individual can not do that, group of people asking for that is something that matters.
This is discussion I started, if you are interested please read it :
http://www.vitiligofriends.org/forum/topics/why-there-is-no-cure