Treatment of inflammatory skin conditions

1. A method of reducing inflammation of an inflammatory skin condition which comprises:

contacting an inflammatory problem area of a patient with said condition, with a therapeutically effective amount of one or more antimicrobial metals in crystalline form to provide a localized anti-inflammatory effect, wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals are characterized by sufficient atomic disorder so that the one or more antimicrobial metals, when in contact with an alcohol or water-based electrolyte, releases atoms, ions, molecules, or clusters of the one or more antimicrobial metals on a sustainable basis,

wherein said condition is selected from the group consisting of a form of eczema, contact irritant dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, an insect bite, an insect sting, sunburn, mycosis fungoides, pyoderma gangrenosum and rosacea.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals further provide a localized antimicrobial effect.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, platinum and palladium.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the condition is a form of eczema.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

7. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the condition is a form of eczema selected from the group consisting of atopic eczema, acrodermatitis eczema, contact allergic dermatitis, dyshydrotic eczema, lichen simplex chronicus, nummular eczema, and statis eczema.

8. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals are provided as a coating on, or filler in, a dressing, or in a pharmaceutical composition with one or more pharmaceutically and dermatogically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients suitable for topical application.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes a nanocrystalline powder of the one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial metals.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a gel, cream, lotion, paste or ointment containing the antimicrobial metal powder in an amount of 0.01-10% by weight, or a liquid formulated as a topical solution, spray, mist, or drops containing 0.001-10% by weight of the antimicrobial metal.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dressing or pharmaceutical composition is fixed in place or occluded with an occlusive or semi-occlusive layer which maintains the dressing or composition in a moist condition.

14. The method as set forth claim 8 , wherein the coating is provided on a dressing.

15. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the coating is 150-3000 nm thick.

16. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals are provided in a hydrated dressing.

17. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the gel, cream, lotion, paste, or ointment is occluded by a hydrated dressing.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 or 17 , wherein the hydrated dressing is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocolloid, hydrogel, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidine, siloxane and silicone dressing.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the hydrated dressing is a hydrocolloid dressing.

20. The method as set froth in claim 19 , wherein the hydrocolloid dressing contains a hydrocolloid selected from the group consisting of alginates, starch, glycogen, gelatin, pectin, chitosan, chitin, cellulose and derivatives thereof, gum Arabic, locust bean gum, karaya gum, gum tragacanth, ghatti gum, agar-agar, carrageenans, carob gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, and glyceryl polymethacrylate.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the hydrocolloid is one or more of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginates, pectin and glyceryl polymethacrylate.

22. The method of claim 4 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is in a powder form and is delivered directly to the skin.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the powder is sized with particulates no larger than 2 μm.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the powder is sized with particulates no larger than 1 μm.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

27. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the condition is a form of eczema.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27 , wherein the condition is a form of eczema selected from the group consisting of atopic eczema, acrodermatitis eczema, contact allergic dermatitis, dyshydrotic eczema, lichen simplex chronicus, nummular eczema, and statis eczema.

29. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

30. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes a nanocrystalline powder of the one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial metals.

31. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a gel, cream, lotion, paste or ointment containing the antimicrobial metal powder in an amount of 0.01-10% by weight, or a liquid formulated as a topical solution, spray, mist, or drops containing 0.001-10% by weight of the antimicrobial metal.

32. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

33. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals are provided as a coating on, or filler in, a dressing, or in a pharmaceutical composition with one or more pharmaceutically and dermatogically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients suitable for topical application.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the dressing or pharmaceutical composition is fixed in place or occluded with an occlusive or semi-occlusive layer which maintains the dressing or composition in a moist condition.

35. The method of claim 33 , wherein the coating is provided on a dressing.

36. The method o claim 34 , wherein the coating is 150-3000 nm thick.

37. The method of claim 33 , wherein the one or more antimicrobial metals are provided in a hydrated dressing.

38. The method of claim 31 , wherein the gel, cream, lotion, paste, or ointment is occluded by a hydrated dressing.

39. The method as set forth in claim 37 or 38 , wherein the hydrated dressing is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocolloid, hydrogel, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidine, siloxane and silicone dressing.

40. The method as set forth in claim 39 , wherein the hydrated dressing is a hydrocolloid dressing.

41. The method as set froth in claim 40 , wherein the hydrocolloid dressing contains a hydrocolloid selected from the group consisting of alginates, starch, glycogen, gelatin, pectin, chitosan, chitin, cellulose and derivatives thereof, gum Arabic, locust bean gum, karaya gum, gum tragacanth, ghatti gum, agar-agar, carrageenans, carob gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, and glyceryl polymethacrylate.

42. The method as set forth in claim 41 , wherein the hydrocolloid is one or more of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginates, pectin, and glyceryl polymethacrylate.

43. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is in a powder form and is delivered directly to the skin.

44. The method of claim 42 , wherein the powder is sized with particulates no larger than 2 μm.

45. The method of claim 42 , wherein the powder is sized with particulates no larger than 1 μm.

46. The method of claim 42 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver.

47. The method of claim 42 , wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, formed as a composite with oxygen.

48. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is an insect bite.

49. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is an insect sting.

50. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is sunburn.

51. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is mycosis fungoides.

52. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is pyoderma gangrenosum.

53. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is rosacea.