By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D.
If you ever have experienced a plantar wart, you may have heard of a treatment option that involves “duct tape.” While it may sound silly, one 2003 study claims that duct tape is 80 percent effective for speeding up the rate at which warts go away. So, is treating warts with duct tape an actual method to try at home? Let’s find out.
What Are Warts?
Warts are common skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can appear anywhere on the body and vary in size, shape, and appearance. While most common warts are typically raised bumps on the hands, fingers and around the nails with black dots, there are other types that can appear on the body. Those include:
- Plantar Warts: Warts on soles of feet, often growing inward due to pressure, causing pain.
- Flat Warts: Small, smooth warts on face, neck, hands, and knees, slightly raised and pink, light brown, or yellow.
- Filiform Warts: Long, narrow warts on face, especially around mouth, eyes, and nose, with a thread-like appearance.
- Periungual Warts: Warts around nails, potentially painful, leading to nail deformities if untreated.
The Duct Tape Method: How Does It Work?
So, if you’re looking for a non-invasive and cost-effective way to treat your warts, you may have landed on the duct tape method being your wart removal option. First, it’s important to know that this method involves covering the wart with a piece of duct tape for an extended period. The duct tape method is based on the theory that the tape suffocates the wart stimulating the body's immune response to attack the virus. The method itself includes:
- Clean the wart and surrounding skin with soap and water.
- Apply a piece of duct tape slightly larger than the wart directly over it, pressing firmly.
- Leave the duct tape on for about 6 days or until it starts to peel off.
- Remove the tape and soak the area in warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Repeat the process until the wart is gone, which may take several weeks.
Evidence, Research, And Alternative Treatments
Surprisingly enough, evidence has included that the duct tape method is actually more effective than therapies such a cryotherapy. Unlike other treatments, duct tape doesn’t try and treat the underlying virus, but prevents the virus from spreading under the tape. Every time the tape is removed, it peels off a layer of the wart until eventually it has become completely removed. While cost-effective compared to other treatments, duct tape shouldn’t be used near genitals, under armpits, or the inside of your nose or mouth. It can also cause bleeding, redness, or rashes upon removal.
Other natural treatment options include our Wart Remover Extra Strength. Our powerful solution removes warts without causing skin damage by blending homeopathic medicine with essential oils.
Overall, duct tape wart removal shows promise as a simple and economical alternative to traditional wart treatments, but it may not always work. It doesn’t hurt to give it a try, but other options like our natural wart treatment may be a better option and won’t leave you bleeding or with a rash.
