Clearance of ichthyosis linearis circumflexa with balneophototherapy

We report a 13-year-old boy suffering from severe ichthyosis linearis circumflexa. Evidence of hair shaft abnormalities and impaired immunity could not be found. The patient was treated with salt water baths and artificial UVB radiation (balneophototherapy) 3-5 times weekly. After 40 treatments with balneophototherapy the skin lesions were almost completely cleared and maintenance UVB monotherapy was performed twice weekly for 2 months. After 4 months, however, the disease relapsed. Balneophototherapy presents a potentially effective and well tolerated phototherapeutic option for ichthyosis linearis circumflexa. As only short periods of remission may be expected, intermittent balneophototherapy would be probably necessary to control the disease.