Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
Local Hyperthermia for Warts Treatment
Published on: November 8, 2024
An in vitro study comparing temperatures of over-the-counter wart preparations with liquid nitrogen
Craig G Burkhart1, Irene Pchalek, Melissa Adler
1University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio 43560, USA. cgbakb@aol.com
Background:
Over-the-counter (OTC) wart-freezing therapies have appeared on the market claiming that they reproduce in-office cryotherapy.
Objective:
We sought to determine whether these OTC home wart removal products are as cold as liquid nitrogen.
Methods:
The coldness obtained by 3 representative commercial wart products, and liquid nitrogen, was assessed using a thermometer calibrated from -100 degrees C to 50 degrees C. Temperatures of the commercial wart products used were measured and compared with those obtained with liquid nitrogen.
Results:
None of the OTC coolants were as cold as liquid nitrogen, and they did not lower temperature as quickly as liquid nitrogen.
Limitations:
This study did not evaluate the clinical efficacy of any of the agents studied.
Conclusions:
Despite advertising messages, OTC refrigerants do not achieve freezing equivalent to liquid nitrogen.
