Alteration of the Skin and Nail for the Prevention and Treatment of Skin and Nail Infections

Abstract

The method of prevention and treatment of microbial infections that occur on, or just below, the skin and nails of a person consisting of applying a means to inactivate the microbes thus rendering them harmless. The treatment consists of applying a means which alters the skin or nail so that the skin or nail will either no longer serve as a food source, will be inhibitory to the organism, will be toxic to the organism, or will be altered in a manner that makes it more responsive to treatment of infections.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A method for the prevention or treatment of microbial skin or nail infections comprising the step of altering keratin in the nail or skin of a user by application of means that changes the keratin will no longer serve as a food source for a microbe. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the energy to alter the keratin is selected from at least one of a group comprising light, chemicals, compounds, heat, ultrasound, vibration, abrasion, sound waves and x-rays. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the energy to alter the keratin consists of at least one wavelength of light. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the energy to alter the keratin consists of microwaves. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the microbes are selected from a group consisting of fungi that includes dermatophytes, yeasts, molds, and non-dermatophyte molds. 
   
   
       26 . A method for the prevention or treatment of microbial skin or nail infections comprising the step of altering the skin or nails by application of a means which changes the skin or nail so that the skin or nail becomes toxic to a microbe. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the applied means releases an amount of sulfur sufficient to alter the skin or nail to make the skin or nail toxic to a microbe. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said means alters an oil of the skin or nail in a manner to make the skin or nail toxic to a microbe. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the means to alter the skin or nail is selected from at least one of the group comprising light, chemicals, compounds, heat, ultrasound, vibration, abrasion, sound waves and x-rays. 
   
   
       30 . A method for treatment of a microbial nail infection comprising altering a microbe in the nail infection and the nail using germicidal light such that the microbe is inactivated or killed; wherein the germicidal light is includes light selected from at least one of a group of ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the germicidal light is ultraviolet light. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the germicidal light is infrared light. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the germicidal light includes ultraviolet light and infrared light. 
   
   
       34 . A method for prevention or treatment of a microbial infection in a nail, comprising: applying heat and administering light having a wavelength substantially equal to or less than 400 nm at a time and intensity sufficient to inactivate and kill organisms, and
 further comprising applying heat from a source from at least one of a group comprising directly applied heat, desiccating heat, infrared light sufficient to heat the infected area, and remotely applied heat.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the heat source is electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength of infrared light. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the heat source is an infrared laser. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein, wherein the administering light comprises administering a multispectrum light 
   
   
       38 . A method for treatment of a microbial infection in a nail or skin, comprising:
 administering light having a wavelength substantially equal to or less than 280 nm at a time and intensity sufficient to inactivate and kill organisms and to alter the nail or the skin such that the nail or the inhibits the infection by altering structure of the nail or the skin by applying at least one of a group comprising heat, ultrasound, a chemical, and abrasion.   
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising applying heat from a source from at least one of a group comprising directly applied heat, desiccating heat, infrared, microwaves, and heat applied from a remote location. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the administering light comprises administering a multispectrum light.