Prevention and treatment of skin and nail infections using germicidal light

Abstract

A method of prevention and treatment of microbial infections that occur on, or just below, the skin and nails of a person consisting of electromagnetic radiation to inactivate the microbes thus rendering them harmless. The treatment consists of irradiating an area of the skin and nails for a period of time long enough to inactivate the organisms. Some additional features which are not integral to the treatment but increase the safety of the treatment include shielding of non-infected areas from irradiation and a cover to prevent damage to sight which may result from viewing the electromagnetic radiation.

1 . A method for the treatment of skin and nail infections caused by organisms comprising: selecting a germicidal radiation spectra and applying germicidal radiation in sufficient strength based on said spectra to cause antigenosis and geneticide of said organisms. 
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein antigenosis and geneticide is the result of germicidal radiation induced cross-linking of pyrimadine bases and formation of dimers within the genetic material of the organisms. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said germicidal radiation is generated by one of the group consisting of a mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, and a laser. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of identifying efficacy loss as a penetration percentage through a particular medium such as nails and for a selected radiation spectra to said organisms and applying germicidal radiation strength sufficient to compensate for said loss. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  further including the step of unfavorably modifying the environment for the organisms 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1  further including the step of enhancing a medium for transmitting germicidal radiation. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1  further including the step of augmenting treatment with antibiotics. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1  for treatment of one of the group consisting of humans and animals. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said germicidal radiation is applied at dosages of from about 5 mJ/cm 2  to about 500 J/cm 2 . 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said germicidal radiation is applied at from about 5 mJ/cm 2  to about 100 J/cm 2 . 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said germicidal radiation spectra includes radiation from between 200 nm and 400 nm. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein said germicidal radiation spectra includes radiation in the UVC range. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1  further including the step of adding other spectra generally not considered germicidal to enhance the effect of the application of germicidal light selected from a group of light with spectra between 400 nm and 1,000,000 nm. 
   
   
       14 . A treatment device for preventing and treating skin and nail infections comprising:
 a light source selected from the group of a tunable laser, a xenon lamp, a plurality of lamps, and a mercury vapor lamp;   a light exposure measurement means selected form the group of a timer, a radiometer, and a spectrometer; and   a treatment record storage device selected from the group of an electronic memory, and a camera.   
   
   
       15 . The treatment device of  claim 13  further including:
 an attachment for providing light to a preselected location, selected from the group of a hose, a wand, a mouth guard, and fiber optic cable.   
   
   
       16 . The treatment device of  claim 13  further including:
 a safety device selected from the group of Teflon coated applicators, a flexible wand, a shield, safety labels, ground fault protectors, and optically transparent barriers.   
   
   
       17 . A method for the treatment of nail infections caused by organisms comprising the step of applying electromagnetic radiation as a specific composition of matter in order to cause antigenosis and geneticide of said organisms. 
   
   
       18 . The electromagnetic radiation of  claim 16  being a specific composition of matter with photons capable of penetrating a nail and capable of damaging the genetic material of an organism 
   
   
       19 . The electromagnetic radiation of  claim 16  being a specific composition of matter comprised of light between 200 nm and 400 nm. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of preventing skin and nail infections caused by organisms by selecting a germicidal radiation spectra and applying germicidal radiation in sufficient strength based on said spectra to cause antigenosis and geneticide of said organisms.