Treatment of verrucous epidermal nevus: Experience with 71 cases

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of 71 cases with verrucous epidermal nevus (VEN) treated by cryotherapy or CO ₂ laser. Methods: The files and photographs of patients with VEN who were treated in the laser unit of a tertiary hospital between January 2005 and December 2011 were evaluated. Pretreatment and 12-month follow-up photographs were evaluated using a 5-point scale: 'excellent' (75-100% clearance), 'good' (50-75% clearance), 'fair' (25-50% clearance), 'poor' (<25% clearance) or 'worse'. Results: Of 71 patients, 62 responded well to cryotherapy alone, and 9 facial VEN required CO₂ laser treatment. Small VEN required relatively few treatments (mean 3.4) with 90% scoring 'excellent' and 10% scoring 'good'. Larger VEN required more treatments (mean 7.4) and did not respond as well, with 71% scoring 'excellent', 14% scoring 'good' and 14% scoring 'fair'. Conclusion: Our experience suggests that cryotherapy is the ideal treatment for small facial VEN, while ablation by CO₂ laser should be considered an option for resistant facial lesions.