Excimer laser for psoriasis treatment: A case report and short review

Exp Ther Med. 2020 Jul;20(1):52-55. doi: 10.3892/etm.2020.8529. Epub 2020 Feb 14.

Abstract

Psoriasis is a common cutaneous disease that has major implications in the quality of life of the patient. It is characterised by a chronic course and in some subtypes, it can be life threatening. Many studies have focused on the pathogenesis concerning this disease therefore improving the therapeutic approaches. Phototherapy represents a well-known treatment option for psoriasis. The depletion of T cells mostly from the epidermis, after exposure to phototherapy, validates the role of this treatment. The 308 nm excimer laser has the ability to treat mild, moderate and even severe but localised psoriasis plaques and plays an important role in the treatment management of psoriasis. In this report, we present the case of a patient diagnosed with plaque psoriasis, resistant to topical ointments, successfully treated with the 308 nm excimer laser. Although further studies are still required to consider the 308 nm excimer laser as a first line therapy, its high response rates have significantly influenced the therapeutic approach in psoriasis.

Keywords: UVB 308 nm; decreased proliferation rate; excimer laser; lymphocytic apoptosis; psoriasis.