# Can I use Liquid Corn/Callus Remover on warts, and vice versa? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 24, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281 "2010-01-24T21:46:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281/1 "2010-01-24T21:46:10Z")
I was looking for come Compound W (or something generic) for a wart on my foot. The cheapest was $6.99 for about a third of an ounce. But then I found this “Liquid Corn/Callus Remover” for $3.99. The active ingredient for both is “Salicylic acid 17% w/w”, but there were some differences in the inactive ingredients. There in nothing on the corn/callus medicine regarding warts. Are these 2 things basically the same, with different packaging? Can I use them interchangeably? ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281/2 "2010-01-24T23:15:41Z")
Can’t answer this, but I’ve just removed a wart from my hand using … banana skin. I still can’t believe it. Just take a small piece of the skin (I cut a tiny square) and I sellotaped it over the wart, skin side out. I could feel it taking action. If I’d been consistent it would have probably been gone in a week, as it was it took about ten days. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281/3 "2010-01-25T02:15:30Z")
Based on the following, I think you are good: [Dr. Scholl’s Liquid Corn & Callus Remover](http://www.drugstore.com/qxp14211_333181_sespider/dr__scholls/liquid_corn_and_callus_remover.htm) 0.33 fl oz (9.8 ml) **$6.49** Active Ingredients: Contains: Salicylic Acid (17% w/w) Inactive Ingredients: Castor Oil, Ethyl Lactate, Flexible Collodion, Polybutene, Alcohol (18% v/v), Ether (53% v/v from flexible collodion) [Dr. Scholl’s Clear Away Liquid Wart Remover System](http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=14127&catid=792&trx=PLST-0-CAT&trxp1=792&trxp2=14127&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-CAT&cmbProdBrandFilter=2615) 0.33 fl oz (9.8 ml) **$9.49** Active Ingredients: Contains: Salicylic Acid (17% w/w) Inactive Ingredients: Castor Oil, Ethyl Lactate, Flexible Collodion, Polybutene, Alcohol (18% w/w, Ether 53% v/v) (from flexible collodion) Also, you may want to try generics. The **equate** brand of Wart Remover at Wal-Mart was less than $4 for 1/2 ounce. ETA: The inactive ingredients will vary by manufacturer. I was just pointing out above that Dr. Scholl’s sells the same liquid in two different packages for different prices. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281/4 "2010-01-25T04:28:08Z")
If you have access to liquid nitrogen, that can be more effective, much more quickly. Dip a q-tip in the liquid nitrogen, then hold it on the wart until you see a whitish ice ball form underneath the skin to the radius of the wart. (This will hurt.) If, after the scab falls off, there’s still a little wart left, repeat. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-liquid-corn-callus-remover-on-warts-and-vice-versa/526281/5 "2010-01-25T06:27:57Z")
I was on vacation last summer and noticed the beginning of a wart on one of my fingers. I hadn’t brought any wart medication with me, but remembered that it contains salicylic acid . . . which is similar to aspirin. So I crushed a piece of an aspirin, made a paste from it, applied it to the area and covered it with a bandage. It worked. [You can also use a piece of duct tape.](http://www.howtodothings.com/health-and-fitness/a4344-how-to-remove-warts-with-duct-tape.html)