Treatment of vitiligo

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a novel method of treating vitiligo by using an excimer laser that emits light in the UVB range. The invention includes a method of incrementally increasing exposure of affected vitiligo areas with UVB laser light from an excimer laser to restore pigmentation to skin areas afflicted with vitiligo.

1 . A method of treating vitiligo comprising the steps of: 
 (A) identifying an area of skin with an absence of melanin; and    (B) repeatedly exposing said area of skin to laser light in the UVB range.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said laser light is generated by an excimer laser.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the wavelength of said laser light is 308 nm, and the intensity of said laser light is 60 mwatts.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wavelength of said laser light is 290 to 320 nm.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each exposure of said area of skin to laser light occurs for an incrementally increased time period.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  which comprises stimulating melanin production in said area of skin with said repeated exposures.  
   
   
       7 . A method of treating vitiligo comprising the steps of: 
 (A) identifying an area of skin with an absence of melanin;    (B) generating laser light in the UVB range using an excimer laser; and    (C) repeatedly exposing said area of skin to said excimer laser light in the UVB range.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said UVB range is between 290 and 320 nm.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the excimer laser is a 308-nm xenon chloride excimer laser.  
   
   
       10 . A method of restoring pigmentation to areas of skin affected by vitiligo comprising the steps of: 
 (A) generating laser light in the UVB range using an excimer laser; and    (B) exposing said areas of skin to said laser light.    
   
   
       11 . A method of treating vitiligo consisting essentially of the steps of: 
 (A) identifying an area of skin with an absence of melanin; and    (B) repeatedly exposing said area of skin to laser light in the UVB range.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method does not include a step of topically applying a medication to the areas of skin with an absence of melanin.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wavelength of said light is 308 nm and the intensity of said laser light is 60 mwatts.  
   
   
       14 . A method of treating vitiligo comprising the steps of: 
 (A) identifying an area of skin with an absence of melanin; and    (B) repeatedly exposing said area of skin to UVB light, said light radiating in phase.    
   
   
       15 . A method of treating vitiligo comprising the steps of: 
 (A) identifying an area of skin with an absence of melanin; and    (B) repeatedly exposing said area of skin to UVB light at a wavelength and intensity able to penetrate the epidermal layer in order to stimulate deep melanocytes underneath patches of vitiligo.