Keratolysis is the removal of dead surface skin cells and is a treatment for several types of

wart Warts are typically small, rough, hard growths that are similar in color to the rest of the skin. They typically do not result in other symptoms, except when on the bottom of the feet, where they may be painful. While they usually occur on the ...

. The most common

keratolytic Keratolytic () therapy is a type of medical treatment to remove warts, calluses and other lesions in which the epidermis produces excess skin. In this therapy, acidic topical medicines, such as Whitfield's ointment or Jessner's solution, are ap ...

treatment of warts available over-the-counter involves salicylic acid. These products are readily available at most drugstores and supermarkets. There are typically two types of products: adhesive pads treated with salicylic acid or a bottle of concentrated salicylic acid. Removing a wart with this method requires a strict regimen of cleaning the area, applying the salicylic acid, and removing the dead skin with a

pumice stone Pumice (), called pumicite in its powdered or dust form, is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough-textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. It is typically light-colored. Scoria is another vesicular vol ...

emery board A nail file is a tool used to gently grind down and shape the edges of nails. They are often used in manicures and pedicures after the nail has been trimmed using appropriate nail clippers. Nail files may either be emery boards, ceramic, glass, ...

. It may take up to 12 weeks to remove a stubborn wart.

Formulations

Some formulations are: * alcoholic solution containing glycerol *

collodion Collodion is a flammable, syrupy solution of nitrocellulose in ether and alcohol. There are two basic types: flexible and non-flexible. The flexible type is often used as a surgical dressing or to hold dressings in place. When painted on the skin, ...

which dries to a celluloid film / Duofilm * simple ointment * absorption ointment * oil in water cream The amount of salicylic acid reaching the wart varies substantially depending on the formulation used. Brands in the UK include Bazuka (Dendron), Scholl (SSL International), Compound W, Cuplex gel, Duofilm (Stiefel), Occlusal (Alliance), Salatac Gel, Salactol Paint, and Verrugon (Ransom).

Molecular basis of therapeutic effect

* Salicylic acid reaches warts; lactic acid and collodion do not. Therefore, these additional components have only an indirect role in therapy. * The molecular structure of the skin is altered at the centre of the wart. * Experiments indicated that salicylic acid bonding within the human papillomavirus-containing verruca tissue is more likely than simple acid dissociation upon dissolution in water within the tissue.

Complications

Some cases of allergic contact dermatitis have been observed when using collodion formulations. This was found to be due to

rosin Rosin (), also called colophony or Greek pitch ( la, links=no, pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene comp ...

in the collodion.

References

# J Drug Target. 1998;5(5):343-51. # Int J Pharm. 1999 Oct 25;188(2):145-53. # Dermatol Clin. 1990 Jan;8(1):143-6. {{Reflist, 2

External links

List of brand names in US and Canada
Papillomavirus-associated diseases