How long should you wait between Compound W treatments?

Q: Should I keep using Compound W after wart falls off?

Stop using Compound W once the wart falls off. You wont need to use it again as long as the wart stays away. If it begins to grow back again or new warts appear you will need to start treatment again and can assume you still have the virus.

Over-the-counter salicylic acid is a commonly used medication to treat your warts. The salicylic acid is slowly and painlessly absorbed into the skin causing peeling of the skin cells that contain the wart virus. This is a very good way of getting rid of warts, but it should never be used to treat warts on the face, neck and genitals. Even if another treatment is being used (for example in office freezing or beetle juice), using salicylic acid at home speeds destruction of the wart by thinning it and any callus that has formed on or around it.

Table of Contents Show

Salicylic Acid Wart Treatment
What to Expect
When to Call the Doctor
How often should you reapply Compound W?
Can you use Compound W on more than one wart?
Should I keep using Compound W after wart falls off?
How often can you do wart removal?

Salicylic acid preparations can be found in most drugstores and some supermarkets. There are typically two kinds of products: adhesive pads that are treated with salicylic acid or bottles of concentrated salicylic acid.

Products available typically include:

17% Salicylic Acid Topical Liquid (Compound W or Dr. Scholl's*)
40% Salicylic Acid Topical Liquid (Plantar Wart Remover*)
40% Salicylic Acid pads (Corn Removal Pads*)

*Any store brand product with the recommended percent salicylic acid will work

Salicylic Acid Wart Treatment

Thin down the wart with a pumice stone or nail file. File the area until all the white, dead skin is removed without causing discomfort or pain. Make sure not to share pumice stones or nail files because the wart virus can be transmitted on these. Sometimes soaking the wart in warm water helps to soften the wart. You may soak the wart for 5-10 minutes before filing it down.
Apply the solution or pad(s) to the wart(s). You may cut pads to size if necessary.
Cover with a Band-aid or duct tape. If the wart is on a less workable area, such as the finger, smaller electrical tape may work better since it stretches.
Repeat process every night before bed until your next appointment.

Note:

Stop sooner if the wart falls off, swelling/drainage develops at the site, or the area becomes too irritated or painful. Please call the dermatology clinic if these symptoms persist.

This wart treatment should be well tolerated and easy to use at home. Some mild discomfort, burning, skin redness and peeling is expected while using the wart treatment. This means that the wart is going away.

Warts: Liquid Nitrogen Treatment

Dermatology

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Warts are growths on the skin caused by viruses (germs that can only be seen with a special microscope). They vary in size and appearance. Warts are most often found on the hands and feet but can be anywhere on the skin. They are spread from one person to the next by touching. Warts are more common in children and young adults but may appear at any age. Sometimes they go away in weeks or months with no treatment but others last for years.

What to Expect

Your child's wart can be treated with liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen freezes and destroys both the wart and a small area of normal skin around the wart.

A special spray bottle or a cotton swab is used to put on the liquid nitrogen. It takes about 10 to 20 seconds to apply. The liquid nitrogen is so cold it actually stings like frostbite or feels like an ice cube stuck to your skin. As the skin thaws, it may feel hot or burning.
For better results, the wart should be treated twice, if tolerated by your child. This treatment can be uncomfortable, so your child may cry. The treated area may be sore for the next day or two.
Some warts are very thick. The extra skin on top of these warts needs to be removed for the treatment to work better. This is done with a special sharp instrument.
In most cases a blister will form where liquid nitrogen is applied. The location of the wart and the thickness of the skin around the wart will determine how long it takes for the blister to form. The blister may be either clear or filled with blood. Sometimes a crust or scab may form instead.
After 4 to 7 days, the blister will break, dry up and fall off. The area may be sore.
Liquid nitrogen treatment does not usually leave a scar. The treated area may be lighter in color and take several months to return to normal. If the wart is around the fingernail, there may be changes in the nail (such as grooves), but these are not usually permanent.
Most warts will need to be treated several times, waiting 4 to 6 weeks between treatments. The number of treatments depends on the size of the wart and how well the wart responds to the treatment.
You may be asked to use a medicine between treatments. The medicine may be bought over the counter or you may need a prescription. It is important to use it to make the treatments work better. The medicine may irritate the skin. Wait until the irritation from the liquid nitrogen goes away before applying the medicine.
Most warts will improve and disappear with liquid nitrogen treatment. For some patients it may not be as helpful. In very few patients, the wart may become bigger or a ring of smaller warts will develop around the treated wart.

What to Do

Keep the area clean and dry. Do not break the blister. Wash it every day with soap and water. Dry well and cover it with a Band-Aid®.
When the blister breaks, wash the area daily with soap and water. Apply double antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin® and cover the area with a Band-Aid®.
Give acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®) as needed for pain. Read the label to know the right dose for your child. Do not give aspirin

When to Call the Doctor

The risk of infection after treatment is small. Call the doctor if:

Your child has a fever over 101 degrees F .
The blister opens after treatment and does not heal.
The blister is red, swollen, feels hot or drains pus.

Remember, one treatment with liquid nitrogen may not remove the wart completely. The skin doctor (dermatologist) will decide if it needs to be treated again.

How often should you reapply Compound W?

Check your product package and follow the directions carefully. You may cover the area loosely with a bandage. Repeat this procedure 1 to 2 times daily for up to 2 weeks for corns and calluses and 12 weeks for warts or as directed by your doctor.

Can you use Compound W on more than one wart?

Do not treat each wart with this product more than three times in total. Consult your doctor if three treatments have not led to improvement.

Should I keep using Compound W after wart falls off?

Stop using Compound W once the wart falls off. You won't need to use it again as long as the wart stays away. If it begins to grow back again or new warts appear you will need to start treatment again and can assume you still have the virus.

How often can you do wart removal?

To completely remove a wart, the treatments may be needed every 1 to 3 weeks for a total of 2 to 4 times. If no improvement is noted, your doctor may recommend another type of treatment. Other treatments for warts on the skin.