Duct tape can work to get rid of plantar warts less invasively than chemical solutions...although you can use both simultaneously for maximum effectiveness.


Steps

1. Cover the wart with duct tape for 4-5 days.
2. Change the tape, and leave it on for 3 more days.
3. Soak your foot in hot, soapy water.
4. Gently pumicing the wart each time the foot is soaked assists
5. Put fresh duct tape over the area for 4-5 more days.
6. Continue cycle until wart dies off and drops out (may take several weeks for larger warts)
7. Consider adding a layer of 15% salicylic acid gel to this regime. This will erode the wart as well as the healthy skin surrounding it, so watch the progression carefully and only apply directly to the wart and the skin immediately surrounding it.
8. If all else fails, go to a foot doctor for a consultation.

Tips

• To get rid of it faster, use apple cider vinegar and cotton balls.
• -Cut a piece of a cotton ball to size of wart and soak with the vinegar. Squeeze out excess and place on wart.
• - If nessecary, place a little vasoline around the wart to prevent the vinegar from getting onto unaffected skin.
• -Cover with ductape overnight; make sure it's airtight.
  • It will burn/itch slightly. This is normal. That means it is working.
• To ensure the best adherence, first dry the skin with ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, then apply Benzoin tincture to make the skin especially tacky.
• If the duct tape alone doesn't work, consider applying a light coating of salicylic acid to the skin immediately over and around the wart with the duct tape method. This will erode the skin at a much faster rate. Look for products containing 15% or more salicylic acid.
• In the doctor's office, it is very simple:
• They can merely cut-out a 1/4 inch cubic plug (1/2 cm): NO stitches. Just wear clean socks and shoes.
• It must heal inside first, progressing outward; so do not use cleaners or any medications on exposed tissues to avoid interfering with healing.
• You simply rinse with clean warm-water, dry your foot and change socks each day: no wrappings.
• After the surgery it should NOT become sore or infected: if it does, see the doctor!

Warnings

• Many doctors and dermatologists are as yet unfamiliar with the duct tape solution for plantar warts (though there are an increasing number of references to the solution on the Internet). Beware of alternative solutions suggested by your specialist if they are unaware of duct tape as a safe alternative.
• When you change the duct tape, the wart will have a noticeable odor. It's alarming at first, but normal.
• While the duct tape method works well, there is no 100% effective way to cure Plantar warts. The duct tape method combined with the use of salicylic acid gel may be the most effective method of all treatments.
• Recent studies have rebuked the "duct tape" method, but it was also recently revealed that the tape used in the study was the clear variety, which does not contain rubber. Apparently, the rubber helps trigger the response, so use the normal variety, or, better yet, just go to a doctor if it is very stubborn.