Sequential Therapy of Common and Plantar Warts with Salicylic Acid after Cryotherapy Versus Cryotherapy Alone: A CaseControl Study in 42 Subjects

Background: Common wart (CW; Verruca vulgaris) is a benign cutaneous virus infection caused by human papilloma virus commonly located in the palmar and plantar regions. Warts, especially located at pressure points, could be painful, but in general they are asymptomatic. Treatment is not always necessary but when multiple lesions, pain, immunosuppression and discomfort are present therapeutic intervention could be mandatory. Chemical or physical destructions are commonly used for the treatment of CW. Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is a common clinician-administered treatment. The most relevant drawbacks of this procedure are the pain associated with treatment, the need of several sessions and the recurrence of new lesion. Salicylic acid (SA) applied under tape occlusion is a convenient, effective, and safe therapy of CW, even if no effective as cryotherapy. So far, there are few data regarding the efficacy and safety of the sequential treatment of CW with cryotherapy followed by a 10-day treatment course with SA. Study Design: We evaluated in a case-control study the clinical efficacy of cryotherapy alone and cryotherapy with SA in adult immunocompetent subjects with common or plantar warts.