Wart removers are medicines used to eliminate warts, which are small, usually painless growths on the skin caused by a virus. Wart remover poisoning occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally swallows or uses more than the normal or recommended amount of this medication.
This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Poisonous Ingredient
Salicylates
Other acids
Where Found
Clear Away
Clear Away Plantar
Compound W
DuoFilm
DuoFilm patch
DuoPlant for Feet
Freezone
Gordofilm
Hydrisalic
Keralyt
Lactisol
Lactisol-Forte
Maximum Strength Wart-Off
Mediplast
Mosco
Occlusal
Occlusal-HP
Off-Ezy Wart Remover
Panscol
Paplex Ultra
PediaPatch
Sal-Acid
Sal-Plant
Salacid
Salactic Film
Trans-Plantar
Trans-Ver-Sal
Vergo
Verukan
Viranol
Wart Remover
Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.
Symptoms
Airways and lungs
Breathing may stop
Rapid breathing
Shallow breathing
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Eye irritation
Loss of vision
Ringing in the ears
Throat swelling
Kidneys
Kidney failure
Nervous system
Collapse (from swallowing substance)
Convulsions (from swallowing substance)
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Fever (from swallowing substance)
Hallucinations
Hyperactivity
Skin
Rash (usually an allergic reaction)
Mild burn (in extremely high doses)
Stomach and intestines
Nausea
Vomiting, possibly with blood
Home Treatment
Seek immediate medical help. Do NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Flush the eyes with water and remove any solution that remains on the skin.
Before Calling Emergency
Determine the following information:
Patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
Time it was swallowed
The amount swallowed
Poison Control, or a local emergency number
The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.
This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.
The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. If the substance was swallowed, the patient may receive:
Activated charcoal
Blood tests
Fluids by IV
Sodium bicarbonate - a medicine (partial antidote) to help neutralize and remove the chemicals (salicylates) from the body
Tube placed down the nose and into the stomach
If the poisoning occurred through skin exposure, the patient may receive:
Washing (irrigation) of the skin, perhaps every few hours for several days
Surgical removal of burned skin (debridement)
Expectations (prognosis)
How well a patient does depends on how much poison entered the blood and how quickly treatment was received. Patients can recover if the effect of the poison can be neutralized. Kidney damage can be permanent.
References
Yip L. Salicylates. In: Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, Ma OJ, Cline DM, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2004:chap 170.
Review Date:
12/15/2011
Reviewed By:
Eric Perez, MD, St. Luke's / Roosevelt Hospital Center, NY, NY, and Pegasus Emergency Group (Meadowlands and Hunterdon Medical Centers), NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.