1 Answers
Duct tape occlusion therapy is a method of treating warts by covering them with duct tape for prolonged periods.
The manner in which duct tape appears to work is unclear. The tape might create a macerating and keratolytic environment, stimulating an immune response. The type of adhesive in the duct tape is likely to be important as leeching of the adhesive into the skin may be causing the immune system response. Side effects can include skin irritation and peeling.
There is mixed evidence that occlusive treatment with various types of duct tape is effective. Clinical trials in 2012 concluded that no statistically significant difference between clear duct tape and placebo could be determined within the sample. On health information websites, duct tape is referred to as a treatment with mixed evidence of efficacy, no good evidence or described as alternative medicine.
Despite the mixed evidence for efficacy, the simplicity of the method and its limited side-effects leads some researchers to be reluctant to dismiss it.