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Duct Tape Wart Removal: Does It Work, and How to Do It

Medical Treatments for Warts

Salicylic acid is commonly used to remove warts.

Skin warts are not medically harmful, but some people may find them unsightly. They can also cause skin picking, especially in children, which can result in skin infections. For these reasons, doctors may sometimes recommend treating bothersome warts.

Examples of medical treatments for warts include:

  • Cryotherapy: This involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the wart or applying it with a cotton-tipped applicator. The liquid nitrogen freezes the wart’s skin cells, and they fall off over time.
  • Salicylic Acid: This is a natural peeling agent and can help slough wart skin cells. To see the result you would need to apply the acid constantly. Salicylic acid is usually the first-line treatment for warts, according to an article in the journal Paediatrics & Child Health. Learn how this technique works here.
  • Laser Therapy: Carbon dioxide laser or a pulsed dye laser can be used to burn off the wart. However, some people may experience skin scarring as a result of undergoing laser therapy. [5]
  • Intralesional Injections: Doctors can inject medications that have different clinical effects into treatment-resistant warts. For example, they can inject bleomycin to stop the cells dividing, or they may use interferon to stimulate the body to mount an immune response to the virus causing the wart.

To determine the best treatment for the wart, it depends on the location and size of the wart.

Conclusion

Duct tape removal method as a treatment for wart does not work for everyone. Nevertheless, there have been studies supporting the use of treating warts with duct tape, and it is probably a low risk option. If duct tape does not work, there are other approaches, such as topical salicylic acid and freezing (cryotherapy). Discuss with your doctor on which method is best for you.

Reference:

[1] https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a607072.html

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-warts/symptoms-causes/syc-20352691

[3] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv/

[4] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14417

[5] https://www.healthline.com/health/laser-therapy