The aim of the study was, to evaluate the possible curative effect of punch biopsy on low grade cervical intraepithelial dysplasia (CIN I) as indicated by the literature. After a three-month interval, 115 women with PAP-smears indicating CIN I were subsequently controlled by cytologic cervical smears. Additional colposcopically directed punch biopsies were taken in 26 patients at the first examination. The remission rate was similar in patients with or without punch biopsy (54% to 49%), as well as the progression rate (8% to 7%). In addition we performed in-situ hybridisation in all biopsy specimens for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV)-DNA. On comparing the progression and remission rate of women with HPV-positive and HPV-negative dysplastic tissue, we found no difference between these two groups. Punch biopsy does not seem to have a therapeutic effect either in HPV positive or HPV negative CIN I.