Original paper
Photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) in the treatment of common warts, plane warts and warts of the feet

Introduction: Verrucae are the group of clinically differentiated skin diseases caused by different types of human papilloma virus (HPV). The high rate of occurrence of infections with HPV, especially in young people, and susceptibility to recurrences after different methods of treatment, prompts the search for new non-invasive methods with good cosmetic results. In recent years, attempts of treatment of different types of warts with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a photosensitive substance have been made.
Aim: In this study the clinical effectiveness and coexisting side effects in the course of treatment with ALA-PDT in patients with common warts, plane warts and warts of the feet resistant to other methods of treatment were assessed.
Results: Very good results of the treatment of plane warts and good results of the treatment of warts of the feet, both mosaic types and myrmecia, were achieved.
Conclusions: The significant advantages of ALA-PDT over methods applied previously are the relatively slight side effects and very good cosmetic results.