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Warts and verrucae - Management
Which treatments are recommended in primary care for warts or verrucae?
- Facial warts should not routinely be treated in primary care.
- For more information on referral and secondary care treatments see Referral.
- Treatment of non-facial warts:
- For adults and older children, treatment depends upon what has been tried already and individual preference. Options include:
- Topical salicylic acid (applied daily for up to 12 weeks).
- Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen (usually carried out once every 3 or 4 weeks for up to four cycles). For information on who should not receive cryotherapy, see Contraindications for cryotherapy.
- Combination therapy with salicylic acid and cryotherapy (applying topical salicylic acid preparations between cryotherapy sessions once the scabbing from cryotherapy has resolved).
- For younger children, offer treatment with topical salicylic acid applied daily for up to 12 weeks.
- Do not use cryotherapy in younger children.
- Duct tape occlusion could also be considered, although there is limited evidence for its use.
- Adverse effects are minimal, but local skin irritation can occur and the tape may fall off.
- Over-the-counter freeze sprays, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, and silver nitrate are not recommended.
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