Q. I saw a question about warts on the toes of a 7 year old. My daughter had the same problem 20 years ago when she was that age.
We tried everything and none of it worked. The doctor was going to remove them surgically, but told me to try one last thing. He said it sounded crazy, but it was worth a try before surgery.
He had me buy a Jacuzzi thermometer that registered up to 112 degrees. He wanted me to soak my daughter’s feet and hands in hot water every night, gradually warming the water to between 108 and 110 degrees.
I used the water therapy and after several weeks the warts started going away. I couldn’t believe that it worked! According to my doctor, a respected colleague told him of this therapy. My daughter had a wonderful outcome.
A. The hot water treatment for warts was first published in a 1962 Cleveland Clinic Quarterly. More recently, Samuel Moschella, MD, recommended that his patients soak their plantar warts in hot water (110 to 113 degrees F) for 30 to 90 minutes a week. Your experience suggests he was right.
