Context

Cutaneous warts are highly prevalent benign papillomas of the skin, of which plantar warts (verrucae plantaris) are the most common type. Most warts disappear spontaneously, but plantar warts can also be persistent and frequently cause discomfort. In the UK, almost 2 million people visit their general practitioner (GP) for cutaneous warts at a cost of £40M per year.1 A 2006 Cochrane systematic review of topical treatments for cutaneous warts concluded that available trials were of poor methodological quality, and that evidence on cryotherapy was contradictory whereas evidence on salicylic acid was more convincing.2 Cockayne et al assessed the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of cryotherapy and …