Topical zinc oxide vs. salicylic acid-lactic acid combination in the treatment of warts

Background Warts are a common dermatologic problem. Treatment is painful, prolonged, and can cause scarring. Objective To evaluate topical zinc oxide for the treatment of warts. Methods This was a randomized, double-blind controlled trial of 44 patients. Twenty-two patients were given topical zinc oxide 20% ointment, and the other 22 received salicylic acid 15% + lactic acid 15% ointment twice daily. All patients were followed up for 3 months or until cure, whichever occurred first. All patients were observed for side-effects. Results Sixteen patients in the zinc group and 19 in the salicylic acid-lactic acid group completed the study. In the zinc oxide-treated group, 50% of the patients showed complete cure and 18.7% failed to respond, compared with 42% and 26%, respectively, in the salicylic acid-lactic acid-treated group. No patients developed serious side-effects. Conclusions Topical zinc oxide is an efficacious, painless, and safe therapeutic option for wart treatment.