Keloid scars as a result of CO2 laser for molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is an infectious disease of the skin, found primarily on the thighs and genitalia. It is a sexually transmitted disease of increasing prevalence. The traditional treatment of this condition is surgical ablation, although CO2 laser has been advocated recently as an alternative mode of therapy. Six patients with molluscum contagiosum were treated by either continuous or intermittent CO2 laser. Four of the six have developed severe keloid scars. Removal of lesions by cold knife, however, was not followed by keloid scars. In the same patient, areas affected by human papillomavirus that were treated with CO2 laser did not develop keloid scars. Our results question the use of CO2 laser therapy for molluscum contagiosum.