Warts are caused by virus and can be contagious. They have a certain life span. Even when untreated, they may disappear after a few years.  They are found on face and arms. Usually treatment is not necessary unless they are in locations that are deemed unsightly or unless they are painful (like ordinary warts on the bottom of the feet).

One option for treatment includes applying over-the-counter medications, usually various mixtures of salicylic acid and lactic acid. These medications typically are topically applied daily for several weeks. When the skin is sensitive or the salicyclic acid is in high concentration, salicylic acid usually causes skin irritation or burns. The result of treatment with over-the-counter medications is not usually satisfactory because burning the outer layer of the skin does not usually get rid of flat warts. Other options for treatment focus on removal of the wart by various methods, including surgery, freezing (cryotherapy),  burning (electrocautery) or laser treatments. Immunotherapy is yet another approach. Various topical drugs can be applied to the warts, to cause a localized allergic reaction, thus getting rid of them. Sometimes these methods may work, but other times they do not. Yet another treatment which is often effective is the Chinese Herb Therapy described below.

Prescription: Make 20 ~30% of alcohol extract of bu gu zhi tincture. Apply externally daily for a few weeks or until they disappear.

疣為皮膚病之一種。其成因是為病毒感染。常發生於顏面﹐手臂和前臂。其形狀為針頭或芝麻大扁皮丘疹，略高出皮面，為角質增生突起。 如果沒有醫治﹐過幾年後會自動消失。一般毋須治療﹐除非發生的部位被認為不雅或產生疼痛﹐如發生於腳底。

以補骨脂製成 20 ~30％酊劑，每日外塗治。用之數週 或至 扁平疣消失為止。

補骨脂15g，破碎成塊後放入75%酒精100ml浸 泡後密封1周後外用。

每日早﹐午﹐晚用棉花蘸藥液塗患處，7天為1療程。（《湖北中醫雜誌》：1987；（3）：25）. 4．

1992年張長發在湖南中醫雜誌以蒼朮﹐木賊﹐香附煎湯擦洗患處。^[1]

1993年郭邦陽在雲南中醫雜誌報導用板藍根﹐香附﹐木賊煎湯協助尋常疣患者。^[2]

[1]﹐ [2] 台北﹐國立中國醫藥研究所。

Name of Formula: Flat Wart Tea

composition: ku shen 15 g, ba qi 20 g, tu fu ling 30 g, di fu zi 12 g.

Grind into coarse powder and put into a thermos bottle. Pour in boiling water. Let stand for 20 minutes and use as tea. One package per day.

Usually it takes about 20 days.