Duct Tape for the Treatment of Common Warts in Adults

Abstract

Eighty patients completed the study.Intervention: Patients were randomized by a computergenerated code to receive pads consisting of either moleskin with transparent duct tape (treatment group) or moleskin alone (control group). Patients were instructed to wear the pads for 7 consecutive days and leave the pad off on the seventh evening. This process was repeated for 2 months or until the wart resolved, whichever occurred first. Follow-up visits occurred at 1 and 2 months.Main Outcome Measure: Complete resolution of the target wart. Secondary outcomes included change in size of the target wart and recurrence rates at 6 months for warts with complete resolution.Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients with resolution of the target wart (8 [21%] of 39 patients in the treatment group vs 9 [22%] of 41 in the control group). Of patients with complete resolution, 6 (75%) in the treatment group and 3 (33%) in the control group had recurrence of the target wart by the sixth month. Conclusion:We found no statistically significant difference between duct tape and moleskin for the treatment of warts in an adult population.

British Association of Dermatologists' guidelines for the management of cutaneous warts 2014

“…126 In a study of 90 adults treated with the same tape, again applied weekly for up to 8 weeks, and compared with adhesive-backed moleskin padding, clearance rates were approximately 20% in both groups. 127 Although these studies have not confirmed a definite effect of occlusion on warts, there is the possibility that an effect may occur in children. Many other topical treatments for warts may include some form of occlusion, and the role of this part of treatment is yet to be clarified.…”

Update: Treatment of Cutaneous Viral Warts in Children

“…Eighty-five percent (22 ⁄ 26) of the patients using duct-tape therapy had complete resolution of their warts compared to 60% (15 ⁄ 25) of patients receiving cryotherapy after 2 months of therapy (p = 0.05). More rigorous blinded controlled follow-up studies by de Haen et al (12) and Wenner et al (13) of children and adults, respectively, found no statistical benefit of duct tape over placebo. Notably, silver duct tape was used by Focht, and clear duct tape was used by the de Hean and Wenner groups.…”

“…Other investigations into the best techniques for delivery of cryotherapy have found that the use of a cryotherapy gun is not superior to cotton-wool buds for application of liquid nitrogen (13). Longer freezing cycles lead to higher cure rate but produce more pain and blistering (14).…”

Management of Cutaneous Warts of the Hand

“…There were no statistically significant differences in the proportion of patients with resolution of the wart between the 2 groups (21% vs 22%; P < .99; n ¼ 90). 19 Meta-analysis of data from these 2 trials together found no significant effect of duct tape on clearance of cutaneous warts (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.51e4.05). 7…”