Application of Laser Therapy for Dermatological Conditions

Background: Dermatological conditions including Eczema, Non-Specific Dermatitis, Herpes Zoster, Psoriasis, etc. are frequently resistant to treatment using pharmaceuticals. These may consist of cortisone, topical applications, antibiotics, etc. Along with the irritation and discomfort generated by these conditions, patients are often sensitive to the social stigma associated with these problems. Purpose: To evaluate and document the progress of patients with a number of these conditions both chronic and acute. Criteria denoting progress include discomfort/pain levels and the physical appearance of the lesions. Methods: Patients suffering from Herpes Zoster (12 patients), Eczema (6 patients), Psoriasis (5 patients) and Dermatitis (3 patients) were evaluated and photographed before, during and after the final course of Laser Therapy. The protocol consisted of the application of a red (660 nm) light-emitting diode (LED) array (750 mW, 10 mW/cm(2)), infrared (840 nm) LED array (1500 mW, 20 mW/cm(2)), red laser (660 nm, 75 mW, 750 mW/cm(2)) and infrared laser (830 nm, 180 mW, 1800 mW/cm(2)). Patients were initially treated on consecutive days varying from two to six days. Subsequently they were treated two to three times per week until the condition was completely resolved. Results: The number of treatments required ranged from two to fourteen with an average of eight treatments to completely resolve the disease processes encountered. Significant improvement in the physical appearance of these along with the degree of discomfort was achieved in as few as two treatments in several cases. Others required a more extensive number of therapy sessions. Conclusion: Laser Therapy is a highly effective technology for the treatment of dermatological conditions, particularly those that have not responded to conventional therapies.