Successful Treatment of Recalcitrant Plantar Warts Using Combined Long-pulsed Nd:YAG and Alexandrite Lasers

Abstract

Verruca (wart) is a common cutaneous disease caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Plantar warts are frequently associated with HPV genotypes 57, 27, 1, and 2. While some plantar warts can spontaneously regress, many patients undergo treatment with topical salicylic acid, cryotherapy, intralesional bleomycin injection, and laser therapy. Pulsed dye lasers have been used to treat verruca effectively by targeting the dilated vessels in the dermis. More recently, lasers with deeper penetration, such as the 1064-nm long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) and the 755-nm alexandrite laser, have also been reported to be effective in the treatment of verruca. We share our experience of successfully treating recalcitrant plantar warts using long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG, alone or in combination with the alexandrite laser.