EXCIMER LIGHT TECHNOLOGY
Due to its efficacy and tolerability, phototherapy has become the gold standard treatment option for various autoimmune skin conditions such as psoriasis and vitiligo. In dermatology, both ultraviolet A and B light are used as treatments for various diseases. Clinical studies have shown that the most suitable spectrum of wavelength for treating psoriasis is 300 to 313 nm, which led to the development of narrowband UV-B phototherapy. NB-UVB and other conventional phototherapies require full body exposure whereas excimer light is a targeted therapy. Excimer light therapy is the latest advance in the field of selective phototherapy.
What is an Excimer?
The excimer light therapy in which “excimer” refers to excited dimer is a xenon-chloride complex (exciplex) that uses ultraviolet B rays. The term “excited dimer” describes the mixture of the noble gas xenon and chloride gas which dissociates to produce 308nm ultraviolet monochromatic beam of light that lies within the UV-B spectrum. This 308nm xenon-chloride wavelength is the most practical in dermatology due to its high efficiency and low risk.
What are the indications of Excimer Light Therapy?
Due to the 308 nm wavelength, exciplex® is used in the treatment of many common dermatological autoimmune diseases including:
Vitiligo
Psoriasis
Atopic dermatitis
Alopecia areata
Mycosis fungoides
However, it is often combined with topical therapies to enhance response.
What are the benefits of Excimer Light Therapy?
When compared with traditional narrow band ultraviolet therapy, the exciplex® requires less number of treatment sessions on average and thus a smaller amount of cumulative UVB exposure. This aspect potentially reduces the patient’s skin cancer risk and can easily improve patient compliance. Furthermore, exciplex® has the ability to target difficult to reach areas and administer site-specific dosing. It can operate with the ability to change the energy level delivered during treatment.
Some benefits of exciplex® are:
Precision – targets affected skin and spares surrounding healthy tissue from exposure
Versatility – used to treat various skin diseases including autoimmune skin conditions
Comfort – Unlike other types of laser treatments that can cause discomfort, excimer light therapy is pain-free
Fast recovery times – exciplex® causes virtually no downtime for patients
Effectiveness – treatment with exciplex® provides rapid results and long remissions, even in cases where the condition has not responded to other treatments
Cost effectiveness – It is cheaper than other laser treatments
Portable – easy to use and transport.
What are the adverse effects?
The adverse reactions are consistent with those associated with other forms of phototherapy including erythema, blistering, hyperpigmentation, and hypopigmentation.
What to expect?
The FDA-approved exciplex® is a handheld device that delivers a concentrated dose of ultraviolet light to the affected area of the skin. The doctor performs this procedure in his office or other outpatient setting where he moves the device over the patient’s skin. It takes only 5 to 10 minutes, and requires no special preparation or diets. Treatment plans usually require two sessions per week for several months. The goal of treatment is to cause a remission, or temporary reduction in symptoms of the condition.
Clarteis has developed world’s smallest excimer lamp that:
– Produces pulses of more than 7000 volts
– More than 200,000 times per second
– Complies with all medical electronic regulations
Patients begin to experience positive results after just a few sessions, and enjoy several months of treatment-free remission at the end of the course. After excimer light therapy, patients are often relieved because they do not have to apply messy steroid creams several times a day. They enjoy greater self-confidence and improved quality of life.