Treatment of skin disorders with UV light and cooling

Abstract

Skin disorders such as, for example, atopic dermatitis, dyshidrosis, eczema, lichen planus, psoriasis, and vitiligo, are treated by applying high doses of ultraviolet light to diseased regions of a patients skin. The dosage employed exceeds 1 MED, an MED being determined for the particular patient being treated, and may range from about 1 MED to about 20 MED or higher. The ultraviolet light has a wavelength within the range of between about 295 nanometers to about 320 nanometers and preferably is between about 300 nanometers and about 310 nanometers. High doses of ultraviolet light are restricted to diseased tissue areas so as to avoid risk of detrimental side affects in healthy skin, which is more susceptible to damage from UV light. Cooling the skin prior to and/or while exposing the skin to the UV light can be used to minimize tissue damage resulting from exposure to the UV light. Higher doses of UV light can therefore be employed without injurious affects.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATION[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 09 / 694,086, filed Oct. 20, 2000. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 272,277, filed Feb. 28, 2001.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The invention relates a method and apparatus for treating skin disorders such as psoriasis, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for treating skin disorders involving exposing a patient's skin to high intensity ultraviolet (UV) light.[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art[0005] Skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis, dyshidrosis, eczema, lichen planus, psoriasis, and vitiligo, are conditions that commonly affect large populations at some time in their lives. For example, about 2% to 3% of the population of northern Europe is estimated to be afflicted with psoriasis. Although the disease's prevalence in the United States is not as well understood, it app...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Even very mild psoriasis is uncomfortable and unsightly.

Severe cases can be physically and psychologically debilitating, presenting a very serious threat to the patient's overall health.

Although the underlying mechanisms of psoriasis are not yet perfectly understood, the disease involves abnormally rapid cell proliferation in the basal layer of the skin.

While this mode of treatment has been effective, it is less than optimal.

Ultraviolet light causes damage to the skin and premature aging; it is also associated with melanoma and skin cancer.

Following such regimen is inconvenient to the patient as well as costly; furthermore treatment often fails due to lack of compliance to this regimen.

It is well known that the risk of cancer and skin damage depends on the total number of photons or amount of UV-B radiation directed on the skin.

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