| abstract |
The invention provides methods of administering a non-destructive laser treatment to a subject with a disease condition of a barrier tissue such as the skin or mucosa, wherein the laser exposure raises the temperature in the treated tissue by at least 2°C, leading to improvement in the disease condition treated without causing significant cellular necrosis or tissue disruption in and around the laser-exposed tissue as a result of laser exposure. The laser combines ultrashort pulse durations with high pulse frequency to deliver irradiances of about 0.1-10 W/cm 2 over treatment periods of seconds to minutes. The laser can be administered externally or internally through an endoscope or catheter. This method can be useful for treating viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections such as human papillomavirus infection, onychomycosis, and leishmaniasis as well as genetic abnormalities such as actinic keratosis, lichen planus, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. |