Keratolytic Wart Removal

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it?

• Keratolytic (ker-uh-toe-lih-tik) therapy is treatment to remove warts. In this therapy, acid medicine is put on the wart. Keratolytic therapy thins the skin on and around the wart. The medicine causes the outer layer of the skin to get loose and shed. Keratolytic therapy may be started in your caregiver's office. You may also be shown how to do it at home.
  
  
• Keratolytic therapy may totally remove the wart, or other treatments may be used after keratolytic therapy. Other treatments for wart removal may include cryotherapy (cry-o-ther-a- pee) (freezing), laser, or surgery. Keratolytic therapy usually takes many treatments over weeks or months.

What are warts and what causes them?

• A wart is a small, hard, rough lump on the skin. Warts are caused by a kind of germ called a virus. You are more likely to get warts if you are a teenager, or have a health condition that lessens your ability to fight infections (in-fek-shuns). Some medicines also make you more likely to get warts. Usually warts do not need to be removed unless they are painful. But you may want your warts removed because of how they look. Some warts go away without treatment, but warts can grow back again.
  
  
• There are many different types of warts, and they may appear anywhere on the skin. They are most common on the fingers, hands, and feet. Other kinds of warts called genital (jen-it-ull) warts, or herpes, occur on and around the genitals. Ask your caregiver for the CareNotes™ handout on genital warts for more information.

What will caregivers do when I have keratolytic therapy? People with diabetes (di-a-bee-tees), poor blood flow, or certain allergies may not be able to have keratolytic therapy. Tell your caregiver if you have any of these problems. The following tells how keratolytic therapy is done:

• Caregivers may first cut, sand or shave off dead skin over and around the wart. The area will then have to soak in warm water. This helps clean it and helps the keratolytic therapy medicine to work better.
  
  
• Your caregiver will then put a small amount of the keratolytic medicine on the wart. The medicine will be left to dry. The acid medicine may be a liquid, called "paint." The acid may also be put on as a "plaster." A plaster is tape that has the acid medicine in it. It is cut to the size and shape of your wart and held on with tape.
  
  
• Over time, the wart may become red, swollen and painful. Call your caregiver if you are having swelling or pain because the treatment may have to stop for a time.
  
  
• White, soft skin will form a few days after your first keratolytic treatment. Your caregiver may want you to go to the office so this can be removed. It will be removed by cutting, sanding or shaving until pink skin is showing. You may be shown how to do this at home.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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