Phenol peels herpes

Active herpes is an absolute contraindication to a phenol peel. A history of herpes is not a contraindication to phenol, but requires treatment to prevent herpes recurring. For more details, see Chapters 32 and 37. 

In the era before antiviral medication, I observed four cases which developed mild atrophic scarring after herpes simplex complications. Two herpetic infections followed medium peels and two occurred following phenolic peels... 

Bacterial and fungal complications in chemical peels are rare, since phenol is bacteriocidal and fungacidal. Patients with positive history of herpes simplex infection can be treated proph-ylactically with acyclovir or valacyclovir during the healing phase for 10 days. 

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