Warts are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus, spread through contact with other people who have warts. They typically appear on hands and feet and often go away on their own after several months; 50-70% of non-genital warts will resolve without any treatment after 3 months. Standard therapies include over the counter topical medications that contain salicylic acid and cryosurgery where a physician uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. Duct tape as a home remedy for removing warts has shown promise in some studies.

Type of Duct Tape may be key to effectiveness
A small 2002 study reported duct tape to be more effective in wart removal and with less side effects than standard cryotherapy (85% success rate for duct tape vs 60% with cryosurgery). A follow up study in 2007 however, found duct tape to be no more effective than moleskin with only a 21% success rate for wart resolution. However, this follow up study used clear duct tape, which has an acrylic-based adhesive, not the standard duct tape used in the earlier study, which uses a rubber-based adhesive. This rubber-based adhesive may activate the body’s immune system helping the body to rid itself of the wart and may help to explain the higher success rate found in the earlier study.

MD Caution
Please be advised that what you think is a wart may actually be skin cancer. You are advised to consult your physician before starting any treatment.