A comparative study of topical 10% KOH solution and topical 25% podophyllin solution as home-based treatments of molluscum contagiosum

Background: molluscum contagiosum is a common self-limiting viral infection of the skin. many therapeutic agents have been used with varying success rates. objective: to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of topical 10% koh solution and 25% podophyllin solution as home-based treatments of molluscum contagiosum. patients and methods: this open randomized comparative therapeutic trial was conducted in the department of dermatology, al-yarmouk teaching hospital, baghdad, iraq between january and october 2015. the patients were divided randomly into two equal groups. group a patients were treated with 10% koh solution and those in group b with 25% podophyllin solution. all patients were assessed weekly for 4 weeks for therapeutic response. results: fifty-two patients (age: 2–34 years) with mc were enrolled in this study, 25 patients in group a and 20 patients in group b completed the study. sixteen (64%) patients in group a showed complete clearance of lesions versus 14 (70%) patients in group b. no systemic side effects were reported in both groups and the local side effects were comparable between both groups. conclusion: both 10% koh solution and 25% podophyllin solution are effective local therapies for the treatment of mc with comparable success rates (64% and 70% respectively).