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Worts

Topical 5-fluorouracil cream or solution and retinoic acid cream or gel are used effectively for flat warts, especially those on the face. With both of these topical agents, patients will probably experience irritation characterized by erythema, scaling, and burning. Patients must be counseled that irritation will occur. Men should switch to an electric razor if they are using a blade razor, as cutting facial warts spreads them throughout the beard area. Similarly, women with flat warts on their legs must switch to an electric razor or use depilatory creams. Alternatively, 6% salicylic acid gel (Keralyt) is sometimes effective in treating multiple flat warts on the legs.

Refractory Warts.

Sublesional bleomycin , diluted to 10 U/mL, has a distinct role in the treatment of refractory warts, both

Interferon-alpha (both type 2a and type 2b) has been approved for treatment of refractory genital worts. Lesions are injected intralesionally three times a week for 3 weeks. Fewer than 50 percent of patients show clearance of lesions, and it has the disadvantage of being both painful and expensive.

Immunostimulation is sometimes tried. Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) sensitization followed by repeated applications of diluted DNCB has been used to treat resistant warts. This form of immunotherapy is... Autogenous wart vaccines appear ..

The carbon dioxide laser has become an increasingly popular method for treating warts, although in many instances it is little more than an expensive method of causing tissue destruction. It is best reserved for..

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