Many may have heard about the home remedy for the common wart-Duct Tape. Well according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine it's a myth.
The common wart is caused by a virus and usually will resolve on their own after some time. But many consider warts to be unsightly and wish to have them removed. Treatments to remove the unwanted warts are freezing (cryotherapy) and burning (silver nitrate or salicylic acid).
Some time ago it was reported that applying duct tape to common warts would cause their demise. The duct tape would essentially smother the wart and it would fall off. This feat usually being accomplished after several weeks of constant duct tape coverage.
Researchers in Denmark were so fascinated with this treatment possibility they decided to test it out on 103 schoolage children. They applied the duct tape or a corn pad (to serve as placebo) for 6 weeks.
After six weeks 16 percent or 8 children in the duct tape group reported cure of warts while 6 percent or 3 in the placebo group reported cure.
The researchers concluded that duct tape was not an effective treatment compared to placebo because the results did not vary to a statistically significant degree.
However there are two main areas of concern with their study. First, they did not exam the children first hand after the 6 week period and second they did not confirm that the duct tape was left on for the entire 6 weeks, with no lapse in between.
In the study that found efficacy, the duct tape was always on the wart, with no breathing time, so to speak. This may be difficult to acheive with children in any case.
So at this point don't dismiss the chance that duct tape may help cure your common warts. Try it risk free for 6 weeks. It is low cost and safe. The few side effects reported were irritation and rashes locally.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 8, 2006 04:58 PM
