In order to know the first-choice treatment by villagers of an endemic area of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) prior to medical attention in a health care center, a cross sectional study was realized in Pichupampa town. A census was made in order to collect demographic data and previous history of CL. 254 participants were surveyed. 41.7% (106/254) of the village had CL at least once in their lives and only half of them went to a health center to seek for primary care. 76/106 (71.7%) used some traditional treatment as their first choice and only 23.6% (25/106) subjects went to a health-care center without manipulation of their lesions. It’s evident that a high percentage (71.7%) of people potentially infected by CL manipulate and treat their lesions with traditional treatments prior to professional health-care, actions that could interfere with the diagnosis and effectiveness of the program implemented by the Health Ministry.Con el objetivo de conocer el tratamiento utilizado por pobladores de un área endémica de leishmaniasis cutánea (LC) previo a su atención en un servicio de salud, se realizó un estudio de corte transversal en un poblado de Lima, Perú. Se censó a toda la población y se recolectaron datos demográficos y antecedentes de LC. De los 254 habitantes censados, 41,7% (106/254) refirieron haber tenido LC y de ellos solo la mitad acudieron a un centro de salud. 76/106 (71,7%) usaron algún tratamiento tradicional como primera medida y solo 23,6% (25/106) acudieron a un centro de salud sin manipular sus lesiones. Un alto porcentaje de personas potencialmente infectadas por LC manipulan y tratan sus lesiones con métodos tradicionales antes de acudir a un centro de salud, lo que podría interferir con el diagnóstico y efectividad del programa de tratamiento implementado por el Ministerio de Salud.