Treatment of facial recalcitrant verruca vulgaris with holmium: YAG laser: an update.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect and safety of the holmium: YAG laser in the treatment of facial recalcitrant verruca vulgaris.


METHODS
42 patients with recalcitrant facial verruca vulgaris (64 warts in all) were enrolled in the study. Warts were treated with holmium: YAG pulsed dye laser with a top energy of 1.2-1.5 J, pulse frequency 10-12 Hertz, average power 10 Watt. Adverse reaction, complication, recurrence and clinical assessment of the lesion were documented with follow-up 6 months.


RESULTS
Ages of patients ranged from 16 to 73 years. 62 warts in 42 patients were eliminated by only one treatment session. The average time for wound-healing is 10.3 days. No severe discomfort, bleeding, edema, ulceration and secondary infection developed. No obvious complications were found. Only 4 warts in 3 patients remained mild atrophy scar and 7 warts in 6 patients remained pigment change. These defects became slighter after 6-month follow-up and left no bad effect on aesthetic. Two of the patients encountered recurrence in the treated site follow-up 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Holmium laser is an effective and safe therapy for recalcitrant verruca vulgaris. It is the choice of treatment for those lesions in cosmetically sensitive areas.
Institute of Dermatology & Department of Dermatology at No.1 Hospital, Anhui Medical University, 69 Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui , P. R. China. yangchunjun9@163.com
Chunjun
C
Yang
Shengxiu
S
Liu
Sen
S
Yang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006695:Holmium; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014860:Warts / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D006695:Holmium