PUVA

1. a therapy for psoriasis combining the oral drug psoralen and high-intensity long-wave ultraviolet light.

Word History and Origins

Origin of PUVA¹

p(soralen) + UV-A ultraviolet light of a wavelength between 320 and 400 nanometers

Example Sentences

An ultraviolet-light therapy called PUVA, when used for years to treat severe psoriasis, significantly raises the risk of the deadly skin cancer melanoma.

From Time Magazine Archive