[Molluscum contagiosum: treatment with pulsed dye laser].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is a wide variety of methods for the treatment of mollusca contagiosa. Especially with anxious children, most of them are not applicable because they are often invasive, painful, time intensive or difficult to conduct (e.g. if a stay in hospital is necessary). In order to verify the existing case reports, this paper evaluates the application of the pulsed dye laser as a possible therapy alternative in cases of mollusca contagiosa.

PATIENTS/METHODS: In a prospective study 20 patients with mollusca contagiosa were treated with the pulsed dye laser.

RESULTS: The therapy was well tolerated; no scars or pigment anomalies were observed. 95.9% of the lesions healed after the first treatment, the other 4.1% after the second. This larger study verifies the positive findings indicated in case studies.

CONCLUSIONS: For exposed sites, difficult cases or if other treatment methods have failed, the pulsed dye laser is an effective, quick, bloodless and elegant therapeutic alternative for mollusca contagiosa with a low rate of side effects.