Duct tape against stubborn plantar warts – does it really work?
We all know it. The iconic gray duct tape: oil and water resistant and always handy for minor and major procedures. Ever since the first spaceflights, NASA astronauts have carried the tape on board to make emergency repairs. But you may have heard that you can also treat plantar warts with the gray tape! Fact or fiction?
Does this work?
People with stubborn warts that do not respond to the usual methods such as liquid nitrogen and anti-wart tincture. People with spreading plantar warts despite conventional treatments. And not unimportant, if the pain after a liquid nitrogen treatment becomes too much.
How exactly does this work?
You can easily get the tape from a DIY store near you. Clean your foot with water in the evening just before going to sleep. Then cover the verruca with a piece of duct tape that is slightly larger than the wart itself. Then leave the tape on for 6 days. When you take it off, you will make the wart look soft and white. That is completely normal.
Remove the upper horn layer as much as possible with fine sandpaper or with a disposable nail file. If it becomes sensitive, stop and let the skin rest for a day without taping it. The next night, repeat the entire process again until the wart disappears.
If you exercise, sweat or the tape gets dirty within 6 days, you can simply replace the tape in the meantime.
How does duct tape work?
It is not really clear. It probably has something to do with the combination of the local irritation of the glue, the humidity, and the heat, which makes your own immune system better recognize and deal with the wart virus.
How long does the duct tape treatment take?
Duct tape works better on children than on adults. The chance of success is around 70 to 80% after a treatment of 4 to 6 weeks. The big advantages are that it is painless, it hardly requires any effort and you are not left with scars. Be aware if the taped area starts to look red or start to itch. That is a sign that your body reacts hypersensitively to the tape. You temporarily stop the treatment.
In 2013, Dr. Francis P.K. Wu published a free children’s book about warts under the pseudonym F.Pique. During his consultation hours he saw many children with stubborn verrucas. Since most of them looked anxiously at the cryotherapy container on the corner of the table, he decided to diminish that fear. His first opening line was standard “I won’t hurt you.” This ebook has been compiled to give children and parents extra insight into warts and how to treat them.
Grafisch ontwerper: René de Haan: http://www.renedehaan.net/visio/illustratie/80/http://www.renedehaan.net/visio/illustratie/80/
The children’s book ‘Warts that’ can only be downloaded for free on the iBook apple store.
Want to know more about warts – read this blog:
Everything you need to know about warts: Causes, contagiousness and treatments
While you are here
In our other post, we dive deeper into the topic of warts, also known as verruca vulgaris. This common dermatological condition affects both adults and children. In our blog, find out what exactly warts are, what their possible causes are, how contagious they can be, and explore the different treatment options available, along with their respective benefits and drawbacks.
There are different varieties of warts
Verruca vulgaris, or common wart, is a common wart form that usually occurs on the hands and fingers. These round growths have a highly keratinized texture and often exhibit a cauliflower-like appearance. They can develop in clusters, usually on the hands, but sometimes on the knees, elbows and even the face.
VERRUCA PLANA (Flat wart): Flat warts, also known as verruca plana, are smooth, flat bumps only a few millimeters in size. They usually have a skin-colored or light brown tint and often appear in large numbers, mainly on the face, arms and legs.
Would you like to read more about: Everything you need to know about warts: Causes, contagiousness and treatments. Click here
