Treatment of Warts in Children

A recent study suggested that covering up a wart with duct tape (thick gray all-purpose tape found at any hardware or variety store) may help get rid of warts. While the results have yet to be confirmed in a large trial, this method, like magical thinking (above), is painless and risk-free. For this reason, you may want to try it before moving on to other options.

First, have your child take a bath or shower to soak the wart. Next, scrape off any dead skin on the top of the wart using a clean nail file, emery board, pumice stone, or scrub brush. Then cover the wart with duct tape. Leave the duct tape on for several days (in the original October 2002 study, it was six days). Remove the duct tape in the evening, then soak and scrape the wart. Again cover the wart with the duct tape in the morning. Repeat this process for up to two months.

Next you can learn about other home treatments, skip to treatments used by doctors or exit the guide.

Click here to learn about salicylic acid.

Click here to learn about "magical thinking."

Click here to learn about treatments used by doctors.

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