We are often contacted by patients and their families regarding Verrucas and Warts. These two conditions are harmless, but they can cause difficulty due to their cosmetic appearance. Sometimes they can also cause discomfort. Usually, the body is able to get rid of Verrucas and Warts on its own, but they can persist for a long time in some cases.
- Verrucas (plantar warts) and Warts (common warts) are caused by human papillomavirus
(HPV). - The treatment aim is to remove the wart or verruca, alleviate symptoms, and prevent
spread.
Here is some information regarding options for treatment
Zinc Therapy
- There is some evidence supporting the use of zinc as a treatment for warts and verrucas, though it’s not a first-line treatment.
Mechanism
- Zinc is thought to modulate the immune response and stimulate local immune mechanisms that fight the virus.
- Some studies suggest that oral zinc supplementation can help clear warts in children,
while topical zinc preparations may have a role in wart treatment.
Use of Zinc
- Oral Zinc: Some studies recommend oral zinc sulfate. Please see this link from Oxford
University Hospital advising on appropriate dosing.
Oral Zinc for Warts
- Topical Zinc: There is some evidence to suggest its efficacy when applied topically. This can
be sourced in the form of Zinc tape which can be easily bought.
Duct Tape Occlusion Therapy
- Duct tape is a non-invasive method that has shown moderate efficacy for the treatment of warts and verrucas, especially in children.
How it works
- The exact mechanism is not entirely clear, but duct tape is thought to work by irritating the skin, stimulating an immune response, or by causing maceration of the wart, which helps it to be shed.
Use of Duct Tape
- Apply a piece of duct tape to the wart or verruca for 6 days.
- After 6 days, remove the tape and soak the wart in warm water.
- Gently remove any dead tissue with a pumice stone or nail file.
- Leave the wart uncovered overnight and repeat the process for several weeks until the wart resolves.
Cryotherapy
While cryotherapy (freezing) is a commonly used treatment for warts in adults, it is usually avoided in children due to potential risks such as pain and scarring.
Cryotherapy is not available on the NHS, but it can be accessed by private providers.
Salicylic Acid (Topical Treatment)
Salicylic acid is one of the most effective treatments for warts and verrucas. It works by gradually removing the layers of the wart or verruca.
This is available to buy over the counter.
Treatment Protocol
- Apply a salicylic acid gel or patch to the wart or verruca
- Cover with a bandage or adhesive dressing.
- Repeat daily for several weeks until the wart or verruca resolves.
Considerations
- Salicylic acid can be irritating to the skin, so it’s important to avoid using it on normal skin around the wart.
- This treatment is usually very effective but can take a few weeks to show results.
- Topical salicylic acid | Prescribing information | Warts and verrucae | CKS | NICE
Laser Therapy – available privately
In cases where other treatments fail, laser therapy might be used to treat stubborn warts. Laser therapy has reasonably good evidence of efficacy. It works by targeting the blood vessels that feed the lesion with a concentrated beam of light, heating them and cutting off the blood supply. The lesion should then die and fall of.