There are many options for wart treatment, which involve the use of medications and chemicals. Some of them act by triggering the immunity with an immunomodulatory mechanism, while some others act by destroying the warts.

The 5% form of the drug that acts with an immunomodulatory effect is applied to the wart once a day at bedtime 3 times a week. The area should be washed using soap and water 6 to 10 hours after the application. It can be applied for a period of maximum 16 weeks. It cannot be applied to mucosal surfaces. Redness, irritation, hardness, bleeding wounds, erosion, blisters and sometimes discoloration may occur on the skin surface. It has no side effects. The success rate of the treatment is 40-70%.

Another drug that acts by causing cell death in warts thanks to its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation is 45-77%. It it is likely to cause serious systemic side effects in some cases. It should definitely not used in the treatment of pregnant women. Since it may cause chemical burns, the treatment should definitely be performed under the supervision of a physician. The treatment takes no longer than 4 weeks. The drug should be applied in a very small amount and the application area should not be larger than 10 cm². Its most common side effects are burning, redness, pain, itching, and swelling on the skin.

Another drug, whose active ingredient is derived from green tea, has a success rate of 54-65%. The 15% ointment form is used 3 times a day until the elimination of all lesions. The treatment takes no longer than 16 weeks. There is no need to wash the application areas after the application of the drug. Its most common side effects are redness, itching, burning sensation, pain, ulcer, edema and blisters on the skin surface.

It should be known that the procedures involving the use of chemicals may require a long treatment period. The length of this period depends on the size and number of the lesion(s). Responses to the treatments can be obtained after a few sessions, but in some cases, responses may delay or the patient does not respond to the treatment at all.

Another treatment procedure required to be performed carefully by a physician, acts by disrupting the chemical structure of proteins. Many side effects are observed with this treatment procedure, as well.

As seen above, success rates of medical treatment procedures are low to moderate.

Considering the difficulties in the use of drugs and their results with high recurrence rates, laser, radiofrequency and electrocautery must be preferred in order to completely eradicate the warts in a short time, without allowing them to spread to the surrounding tissues, in such a way as to both increase the success rate and reduce the recurrence rate.

“Although we have the opportunity to perform all treatment procedures in our clinic, we primarily prefer laser treatment because of its high success rate and results with low recurrence rate.”