Atypical psoriasis of the face and hands after PUVA treatment

In sixty patients with psoriasis, two types of lesions developed after repeated and prolonged courses of PUVA radiation. In sixteen patients, new lesions on the face resembled seborrhoeic dermatitis; in thirteen patients thick plaques on the dorsum of the hands developed insidiously over the years. There was no significant association between the two types of lesions and only the latter were dose-related. The appearance of recalcitrant psoriasis on the face and hands appears to be a complication of PUVA treatment.