US Medical Term · procedures
Phototherapy
Fototerapia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Phototherapy |
| Spanish (Español) | Fototerapia |
| Chinese (中文) | 光線治療 |
| Korean (한국어) | 광선 치료 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Quang trị liệu |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Phototherapy |
| Portuguese (Português) | Fototerapia |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การรักษาด้วยแสง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 光線療法 |
What it means
Phototherapy uses controlled exposure to specific wavelengths of light to treat certain skin conditions or mood disorders. For skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or vitiligo, ultraviolet (UV) light — typically UVB — is delivered in a medical booth or handheld device under clinical supervision. For seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a bright light therapy lamp is used to expose the patient to a high-intensity light source in the morning. Sessions are brief, typically lasting seconds to minutes for UV phototherapy, or twenty to thirty minutes for light therapy for mood. Response usually develops over several weeks of regular treatment.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My dermatologist prescribed phototherapy sessions for my psoriasis.
Mi dermatólogo me recetó sesiones de fototerapia para mi psoriasis.
I have been using light therapy for seasonal affective disorder each morning.
He estado usando fototerapia para el trastorno afectivo estacional cada mañana.
Does my plan cover outpatient phototherapy for a chronic skin condition?
¿Mi plan cubre la fototerapia ambulatoria para una condición crónica de la piel?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026