US Patent 7276059 Treatment of skin disorders with UV light and cooling

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 patient's skin. The dosage exceeds 1 MED, as determined for the particular patient and may range from about 1 MED to about 20 MED or higher. The ultraviolet light has a wavelength within the range of about 295 nanometers to about 320 nanometers. High doses of ultraviolet light are restricted to diseased tissue areas The skin can be cooled prior to and/or during exposure to UV light to minimize tissue damage resulting from exposure to the UV light. Higher doses of UV light can therefore be employed without injurious affects.