Goeckerman therapy

Goeckerman Therapy is a regimen for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis using a combination of crude coal tar and artificial ultraviolet radiation.

First formulated in 1925 by American dermatologist William H. Goeckerman (1884–1954), Goeckerman therapy continues to be used due to its efficacy and safety profile.(1) Individual institutions have modified the Goeckerman regimen and developed their own protocols. Standard therapy includes use of 2%-4% crude coal tar in a petroleum base applied daily to the psoriatic plaques. The minimum period of time for tar application is 2-hours, although it has been recognized that greater periods of time produce better results. (2) The patient is then exposed to broad-band ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, although narrow-band UVB may also be used.(3) Laboratory studies have shown that the combination of coal tar and UV light reduces epidermal DNA synthesis. (4)