Q. I just read your column on plantar warts. My doctor suggested I use fingernail polish, covering the wart twice a day for three weeks. I believe the wart died within 10 days of doing that treatment. It was easy and painless. Have you ever heard of this and do you know why it worked?
A. We’ve heard of using fingernail polish or instant glue on warts to “smother them. We doubt if that is why it works, though, since the virus that causes warts doesn’t need to breathe. Whatever the mechanism, this trick seems to be effective for some people. Anyone who tries it should be careful to keep the nail polish only on the wart and not on healthy skin.
