Duct Tape and Other Treatments for Warts

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 05 Dec 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Skin warts, although usually harmless, can be unsightly, annoying, and painful. Some tend to disappear on their own, but others can be challenging to get rid of. The December issue of the Harvard Health Letter explains what warts are, tells readers when to see a doctor, and gives tips on removing those pesky warts-including using the household tool duct tape.

The virus that causes skin warts is easy to encounter, although warts aren't very contagious. They can spread from person to person by direct contact, but usually only through breaks in the skin. There's a 50-60% chance your own immune system will get rid of the wart within two years. Harvard Women's Health Watch outlines treatment options for those not inclined to wait,

including: -- Salicylic acid. This is usually found over the counter as a liquid, gel, or patch. Treat the wart by filing away dead, warty skin with an emery board or pumice stone, soaking the wart for 10-15 minutes, and applying the medication. Do this once or twice a day for 12 weeks.

-- Freezing. Liquid nitrogen is effective but can be painful. A clinician sprays or swabs the nitrogen onto the wart. The extreme cold burns, causing redness and usually a blister. Getting rid of the wart generally takes three or four treatments, one every two to three weeks.

-- Duct tape. A study found that using duct tape was about 45% more effective than freezing warts with liquid nitrogen. To treat, wear a duct tape patch matching the size of the wart for six days. Remove the patch, soak and file the wart and leave it uncovered overnight, and reapply a tape patch the next morning. Follow this for two months or until the wart disappears.

-- Zapping and cutting. A clinician dries the area with an electric needle and scrapes away the wart. Local anesthesia is used, and it usually causes scarring.

-- Prescription drugs. Although they tend to cause side effects, prescription drugs can be used to treat warts.

The Harvard Women's Health Watch is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of the Harvard Medical School. You can subscribe for $24 per year at http://www.health.harvard.edu/women or by calling 1-877-649-9457 toll-free.

Harvard Women's Health Watch
Harvard Health Publications
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
Phone 617-432-4717

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