I have heard that duct tape promotes rapid healing of cuts and scrapes
when it is used to seal the wound.  Is this true or a myth?  If true,
what characteristics of duct tape give it this beneficial property?

Hello Sfbacarguy,

   
   I think you may be referring to NexCare?s newest bandaid, made to
resemble duct tape, with supposedly real duct tape coering. A great
gimmick for manly men, but it still has the gauze portion directly
over the wound!
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod1614065&CATID=100946&skuid=sku1614054&V=G&ec=frgl_602443

http://www.blogaholics.ca/archives/2005/09/duct_tape_banda.html


  As a health care professional, I have seen men come in the ER with
real duct tape holding a gauze pad over a wound, but I don?t recommend
placing duct tape directly on a wound, without a gauze pad protecting
the wound surface- unless you are lost in the wild and have only duct
tape to close a gaping bear bite wound; then by all means, use duct
tape to save your life! Duct tape may hold a gauze pad better than
surgical tape, or regular old band aids, but it is painful to remove
from a hairy arm or leg.

"It can also hold bandages in place if you ignore a hot spot until it
becomes a blister and breaks. Use it to cover any bandaged area to
prevent soaking and to help prevent infections of wounds. Sucking
chest wounds are rare in the wilderness, but if you encounter them,
duct tape is one of the best materials to hold a plastic wound cover
in place or to cover a smaller sucking wound directly. It makes a good
sling for an injured arm and can be used to hold a wooden-stick splint
together in the event of a broken arm or leg and can be used to bind
broken fingers together to immobilize them until they can be set
properly."
http://texas.sierraclub.org/austin/campguide3.html


  Another legitimate use of duct tape you may be thinking is it?s
ability to remove warts!

    ?In patients treated with duct tape, 85 percent of the warts
completely resolved, compared with 60 percent in the cryotherapy
group. These results were statistically significant. Resolution of
warts treated with duct tape usually occurred within the first 28 days
of therapy. If there was no response within the first two weeks, the
warts were unlikely to respond to a longer course of therapy. The main
adverse outcomes with duct-tape therapy were difficulty keeping the
tape on the wart and minor skin irritation. The main adverse effect in
the cryotherapy group was mild to severe pain at the freeze site
during and after the treatment.

The authors conclude that duct tape occlusive therapy is more
effective than cryotherapy in the treatment of common warts. They also
state that duct tape therapy is less expensive and has fewer adverse
effects than cryotherapy.?
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030201/tips/8.html

?I?m not surprised that this treatment worked so well. Even though
both of these techniques destroy some of the wart viruses, direct
destruction is only a part of the story. In the final analysis, it's
our own immune systems that are activated and engaged to eliminate the
warts.?
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1017.html


   "The duct tape irritated the warts, and that apparently caused an
immune system reaction that attacked the growths, said researcher Dr.
Dean "Rick" Focht III of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical
Center."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/14/health/main525523.shtml


Testimonials
http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/hmo/index.html 


I hope this has answered your question! Please ask for a clarification, if not!

Regards, Crabcakes

Search Terms
=============
duct tape bandages
Duct tape + wart removal

Great answer, thanks! Great comments too!

Great stuff, Crabcakes.
The last time I had a bit of skin surgery, the German hospital used an
airtight plastic bandage, explaining that eliminating air from the
site enhanced healing, which duct tape also would (with gauze).
A Finnish community nurse also recommended duct tape for warts, saying
that excluding air for two weeks would do the trick  - from
experience.  (Just try to keep duct tape on your hand continuously for
two weeks ...).
For warts, she also recommended morning saliva (pre breakfast) applied
until they disappeared, which worked for her son.  I wonder what the
school medicine explanation for this cure is.

Cheers, Myo

I've seen duct tape used a fair bit as an effective and efficacious
wound plaster. Most notable would have to be when I visited Australia
Zoo back in 2004 and met the wonderful Steve Irwin who had duct tape
covering a small wound on his hand where some bitey thing had latched
on. I asked him about it and he said it was better than anything else
for promoting rapid healing. Great guy. Sadly missed.
My doctor also recommends it in treating some warts.

Does duct tape work on genital warts?

If you're silly enough to try it, you deserve what you get! OUCH!!