Objective
To investigate the clinical effectiveness of silver nitrate (95%) for the treatment of verruca pedis comparing professional and self‐application treatments.
Methods
A single‐centre, two‐armed randomized evaluation was conducted at a University podiatry clinic. A total of 113 participants (101 analysed) with verruca pedis were included. Participants were randomized to either a clinical group, where silver nitrate was applied by a healthcare professional or a home group, where silver nitrate was self‐applied. The main outcome measure was post‐treatment pain, controlling for pre‐treatment pain, and resolution of the verruca. Secondary outcome measures were participant satisfaction, partial reduction in the verruca and ease of use of the product.
Key findings
The study showed no significant difference between home treatment and clinically applied treatment for the treatment of verruca pedis in either primary outcome; however, a substantive difference in resolution between groups was recorded, with 34.0% full resolution and 26.4% partial resolution in the clinical treatment group, and 18.8% full resolution and 37.5% partial resolution in the home treatment group. Participants widely reported general ease of use of the product. All participants reported a reduction in pain as a result of the intervention.
Conclusion
Silver nitrate has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for verruca pedis, with equal success rates when compared between home and clinical applications.