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Permanent scarring following uncomplicated impetigo contagiosa is rare. With the use of the occlusive method of treatment of impetigo with such agents as adhesive plaster or the less effective collodion, no deep extension of the lesion to an ecthymatiform ulcer has been observed. With the crusting type of therapy, no such ulcerations have been seen with silver nitrate, cupric sulfate or tannic acidmercury preparations.
However, with the gentian violet crusting method this reaction has occurred occasionally in the past two years. It has been seen in 4 cases, in 2 infants and 2 adults. In these cases a smooth gentian violet crust formed over the impetigo areas. Instead of curling up, shrinking and peeling off, as the usual gentian violet crust does, the crusts in these instances remained fixed firmly to the skin for a relatively long period, more than two weeks and in 1 case five weeks. The skin