coal tar + UV-B

Coal tar + UV-B refers to a combination therapy used primarily for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. This regimen, historically known as the Goeckerman regimen, involves the topical application of crude coal tar followed by exposure to ultraviolet B (UV-B) phototherapy. Coal tar acts as a keratoplastic and anti-inflammatory agent, helping to reduce scaling, itching, and inflammation by slowing down skin cell proliferation and promoting shedding of dead skin cells. The addition of UV-B phototherapy enhances therapeutic efficacy by further suppressing abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and modulating immune responses in psoriatic lesions. This combination has been shown to induce long-term remissions in patients with psoriasis who may not respond adequately to other treatments[4][6].

Other names

Goeckerman regimen