Ultraviolet light and tar in the Goeckerman treatment of psoriasis

Abstract

In an attempt to evaluate and improve the Goeckerman treatment of psoriasis, combinations of tar and ultraviolet (UV) light were studied. The effects of UV irradiation alone, of curde coal tar (CCT) ointment alone, and of UV irradiation with 1% CCT ointment and with 6% CCT ointment on psoriatic lesions were compared. The combinations of 1% CCT ointment with UV irradiation and of 6% CCT ointment with UV irradiation were found to be equally effective. The combination of UV irradiation with ointment had little effect on psoriatic lesions. In most cases, the combination of 1% CCT ointment and UV irradiation was superior to high-concentration (6%) tar ointment without UV irradiation. This study suggests that UV light is an important component of the Goeckerman treatment ant that tar and UV irradiation are superior to tar alone.