Phototherapy is a treatment method used in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (newborn jaundice), involving the application of high-intensity light, typically in the blue (450-475 nm) wavelength range, through the skin. This light converts unconjugated bilirubin into a more water-soluble metabolite, lumirubin, facilitating its elimination from the body by reducing the liver’s burden of processing bilirubin for excretion via bile. During phototherapy, the infant is typically shielded with eye protection and exposed to high-intensity light on the skin surface for a specified duration. This non-invasive approach offers an effective, low-risk treatment option for managing neonatal jaundice.
