Activation of Flat Warts (Verrucae Planae) on the Q-Switched Laser-Assisted Tattoo Removal Site

Abstract

Flat warts, or verrucae planae, are a common cutaneous infection, which tends to be multiple and grouped. They are more often found on sunexposed areas such as the face, neck, and extremities, and sometimes develop at the sites of skin trauma. The author reports on a case of flat warts which developed on the Q-switched laser tattoo removal site. Histologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of verruca plana. The author suggests that activation of the human papillomavirus should be included in the possible complications of the laser-assisted tattoo removal procedure.

Viral Infections Confined to Tattoos—A Narrative Review

“…The warts appeared two weeks after an acute sunburn involving tattooed and normal skin, but the warts were confined to the tattooed area, suggesting that the virus was probably inoculated at the time of tattooing and remained latent, and the UV light acted as a trigger inducing its activation [ 68 ]. Rho et al highlighted the onset of flat warts on the Q-switched laser-assisted tattoo removal site in a 23-year-old patient, 3 weeks after the procedure [ 111 ]. The authors suggested that HPV was probably latent within tattooed skin, and that the treatment caused the alteration of the epidermal barrier that allowed the virus to spread.…”