Hello cele4332,
Thank you for your question.
First of all, there is no reason to be embarrassed. It is not your
fault that you have verruca plana. There is also no reason to be sad,
as it is highly curable with the right treatments. :)
In cases involving any type of medical information, Pubmed is a
fantastic resource. Pubmed is a database of studies published in
journals and is very helpful for sorting fact from myth.
Here are a few studies that have been done on Verruca Plana.
"Treatment of verruca plana with 5% 5-fluorouracil ointment"
Dermatologica
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7389971&dopt=Abstract
This study found that for patients who did not respond well to
treatment with salicylic acid, vitamin A acid, dinitrochlorobenzene
(DNCB), carbon dioxide cryotherapy, oral administration of
methotrexate or intramuscular injection of sodium cacodylate often
responded well to a treatment with 5% 5-fluorouracil ointment.
DNCB also worked well in another study involving the same scientists.
"Therapeutic effect of dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) on verruca plana
and verruca vulgaris"
International Journal of Dermatology
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=6519874
This study from a Chinese journal found that a Vitamin B12 injection
was successful in 100% of sufferers' cases.
"[The effect of Vit. B12 injection into acupoints in the treatment of
verruca plana]"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11774690&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum
Here is a rundown of the various treatments. Other than salicyclic
acid, the other treatments have all been disputed and studies have
found that they are no better than placebo. I would stay with
salicyclic acid unless it does not help at all.
Salicyclic Acid:
This is the most common treatment for all warts. It is also the most
effective and economical treatment that has been found. It is used in
a process called keratolysis, and treatments with this ingredient are
available over-the-counter at supermarkets and drug stores. This is
the least expensive and most effective treatment for warts. Repeated
application can prevent recurrence permanently.
"Cutaneous warts: an evidence-based approach to therapy"
American Family Physician, August 15, 2005 by Rocky Bacelieri,
Sandra Marchese Johnson
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_4_72/ai_n15627774
"The Cochrane review (5) identifies topical therapy with salicylic
acid as safe and effective and reports that no clear evidence exists
to prove that other therapies have an advantage in regard to higher
cure rates or fewer adverse effects. The pooled data from six RCTs
demonstrated a cure rate of 75 percent in those treated with salicylic
acid compared with 48 percent in the control group. (5) Another
guideline (4) lists salicylic acid as the first-line therapy for flat
warts on the face, plantar warts, and flat and common warts on the
hands."
Prescribed versions of salicyclic acid can have a 70% concentration,
as opposed to 17% for over-the-counter versions.
The best types of treatments to buy are pads, discs or flexible
collodion, which is a liquid that dries to a film. These types of
products allow the acid to penetrate deeper and act longer. There are
also some things you can do to help the treatment along. Use a pumice
stone to siphon away the dead skin every two days and help get rid of
the wart tissue. If the surrounding skin becomes inflamed, you can
protect it with petrolatum before adding the salicylic acid.
References:
Wikipedia entry: Treatment of warts by keratolysis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatment_of_warts_by_keratolysis
Warts & Corns
http://quickcare.org/skin/warts.html
--------
Cryosurgery:
This involves freezing the surface of the wart until the cells are destroyed.
An example of a cryosurgery product is the Histofreezer:
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/51986.htm
Cryosurgery products have not found in studies to be more effective
than treatment or placebo, so it is not really clear whether they work
or not. It is best to try proven therapies from scientific studies
rather than any form of cryosurgery.
"Cutaneous warts: an evidence-based approach to therapy"
American Family Physician, August 15, 2005 by Rocky Bacelieri,
Sandra Marchese Johnson
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_4_72/ai_n15627774
"In general, the wart is frozen for 10 to 30 seconds until a 1- to
2-mm iceball halo surrounds the targeted area. (4,6) The highest cure
rates are achieved when treatment occurs at a frequency of every two
to three weeks. (10,13) Benefit from therapy continuing for more than
three months has not been documented..."
--------
Pulsed dye laser:
Many studies disagree on the effectiveness of laser treatment. One
recommends it as a second-line treatment for the face, while another
says that it should not be used for the face at all. Here is a
continuation of the above article with more information on this
therapy as a treatment:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_4_72/ai_n15627774/pg_2
--------
IMIQUIMOD:
Again, studies disagree on this medicine's effectiveness as wart
treatment. Some studies say it works, some say it is no better than a
placebo.
--------
Silver nitrate/caustic pencil:
This is over-the-counter. It's a burning treatment that can be applied
daily and should be used six times for a verruca.
--------
Duct tape therapy:
This might not be an option if the warts are on your lips. However,
duct tape therapy-- leaving duct tape over a wart for six days-- has
proven to be more effective in studies than cryotherapy, although not
as much as salicyclic acid.
Duct tape therapy--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape_occlusion_therapy
---------
Liquid Nitrogen:
"Fungal, Bacterial, and Viral Infections of the Skin: Viral Infections"
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/535251
"Liquid nitrogen is a common initial treatment of choice for many
warts. Administered with a cotton-tipped applicator or cryospray
device, liquid nitrogen freezes the lesion, causing it to blister and
subsequently dissolve. More than one application at 2- to 3-week
intervals may be necessary for large or periungual warts.
Electrodesiccation and curettage or laser surgery are effective for
persistent or recurrent lesions."
---------
The biggest myth that I came across in my research is that over the
counter salicylic acid is not as effective as more expensive and
marketed therapies such as cryotherapy. This seems to be a case where
the least expensive treatment is the most effective, which is a rarity
in medicine.
---------
Sources:
Wikipedia entry-- Wart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wart
NHS Factsheet-- Warts and Verrucas
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/warts.html
Search terms:
Pubmed--
Verruca Plana treatment
Google--
Verruca Plana salicylic acid
verruca plana liquid nitrogen
If you need any clarification before rating, let me know and I'll be
glad to assist you.
--keystroke-ga |
