In an open study of 21 severely affected adult atopic dermatitis patients, air‐conditioned narrow‐band UVB phototherapy using the Philips TL‐01 lamp three times weekly for 12 weeks resulted in a 68% reduction in atopic dermatitis severity scores, with a concomitant 88% reduction in potent topical steroid use.Follow‐up at 24 weeks revealed that six patients had relapsed to>70% of pre‐phototherapy severity scores; the remaining 15 continued to derive long‐term benefit. The mean value of potent topical steroid use remained 50% below pre‐phototherapy needs.Narrow‐band UVB (TL‐01) phototherapy appears an effective, steroid‐sparing treatment for chronic severe atopic dermatitis, offering long‐term benefits in the majo