title: Efficacy of topical aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for the treatment of verruca planae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of verruca planae.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 18 patients with facial verruca planae was treated with ALA-PDT. A 10% ALA emulsion was applied on facial lesions for a 4-h incubation period after azone infiltrating for 30 min. Skin lesions of verruca planae were irradiated with 120 J/cm(2) using a 635-nm laser for 10 min. Each patient received at least two sessions at intervals of 15 days. Those with residual lesions after the first session were treated with a third PDT. Before treatment and at each return visit, the lesions were photographed. Patient satisfaction was investigated and therapeutic effect was evaluated at 6 months after termination of the therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen days after the first topical ALA-PDT, 10 patients achieved complete response and 7 patients showed improvement. Complete clinical response was observed in 17 patients after two sessions. At 6 months after termination, only one case relapsed among the complete clinical response patients, and the patient satisfaction rate was 88.89%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDT, utilizing the topical application of 10% ALA, has a good result and excellent cosmetic effects for the treatment of verruca planae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. xll515@163.com
authors.forename: Yuan-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jin-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hong-Zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014860:Warts / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid