A 308-nm Excimer laser for the treatment of scalp psoriasis

Background and Objectives: Scalp psoriasis is a frustrating disorder whose treatments can all too often be cumbersome and ineffective. Our objective was to test a combination device involving the 308-nm excimer laser in tandem with a hair blower for treating scalp psoriasis. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Adult subjects with scalp psoriasis unresponsive to class I topical steroids used in conjunction with medicated shampoos were treated with 308-nm excimer laser pulses in conjunction with a hair blower that parted the obstructing hair twice a week for up to 15 weeks. Half of the scalp served as a control. Starting doses were based on standard minimal erythema. dose (MED)'s with subsequent increments of up to 20%. Results: Thirteen subjects completed the study without adverse events. Two were dropped due to lack of compliance. At the end of the investigation, the difference in the mean modified PASI scores between the control and treated sites was 4.0 (<0.0001). Conclusions: The air blower device in conjunction with the 308-nm excimer laser can safely and effectively treat otherwise refractory scalp psoriasis. (C) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.