Examples
|
| dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) | |
| diphencyprone (DCP) | |
| squaric acid dibutyl ester (SADBE) | |
How It Works
Contact sensitizers are a form of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy
triggers your
immune system to kill the virus causing the
wart. This destroys the wart.
Two steps are required to trigger your body's immune system with a
contact sensitizer:
- The contact sensitizer is put on a small area
of your arm or back. Your skin should become red, swollen, itchy, or blistered.
This kind of skin reaction is a sign that the contact sensitizer will work. The
next time the sensitizer is applied to your skin, your body's immune system
will react to it, and the affected area will develop an allergic (immune)
reaction.
- After a few days, the same sensitizer is applied to the
wart (diluted for common warts and concentrated for plantar warts). Repeat
treatments with increasingly concentrated sensitizer are made every week or so
until the immune reaction has cleared the wart.
Why It Is Used
Contact sensitizers are sometimes used to treat warts that have
been resistant to other treatments.
How Well It Works
One review of studies reports that DNCB removed warts in 80% of the
people using it compared to 38% in people using a
placebo.1 Talk to your health
professional about how well his or her choice of contact sensitizers has worked
in clinical practice.
Side Effects
A severe
allergic reaction can occur with contact sensitizer
treatment.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference
is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Contact sensitizers are not widely used because they are highly
potent, expensive, and require careful handling to avoid causing unintentional
allergic reactions.
Contact sensitizers are not safe for women who are pregnant, and
they are used infrequently with children.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF) 
(What is a PDF document?)
to help you understand this medication.
References
Citations
Luk NM, Tan YM (2007). Warts (non-genital), search
date November 2006. Online version of BMJ Clinical Evidence. Also available online:
http://www.clinicalevidence.com.
Credits
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology |
| Last Updated | September 11, 2008 |
Luk NM, Tan YM (2007). Warts (non-genital), search
date November 2006. Online version of BMJ Clinical Evidence. Also available online:
http://www.clinicalevidence.com.
