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Oxolin ointment for warts

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Although warts are mostly not life-threatening, as they are benign neoplasms, but being in visible places, they spoil the aesthetic appearance, they can infect another person, and there is also a risk of degeneration into malignant in case of injury. There are various methods of getting rid of such skin defects. Among them are surgical, folk, medicinal. The latter include various ointments and one of the effective ones is recognized as oxolinic ointment.

Removing a wart with oxolinic ointment

The main advantage of ointments is their gentle effect on the wart and the absence of scars after its disappearance. The mechanism of action of oxolinic ointment is based on its antiviral activity. The active substance of the product is oxoline, auxiliary substances are paraffin and mineral oil, some manufacturers use Vaseline.

To remove warts on the skin, use 3% oxolinic ointment; on mucous membranes, use 0.25%.

Pharmacodynamics

The drug suppresses human papillomavirus, adenovirus, flu, herpes. Oxolin chemically interacts with the nucleic acids of the virus, "switching it off" from the active state, while not harming healthy cells. Dense wart tissues gradually soften and fall off under the influence of the ointment.

Pharmacokinetics

When applied to the skin, about 5% of the ointment is absorbed, and 20% on the mucous membrane. It is excreted from the body within 24 hours through the urinary system. It does not have a toxic or local irritating effect on the skin, unless it is damaged.

Dosing and administration

Before applying the ointment to the wart, it needs to be steamed. You can try to remove the cells that can peel off with pumice, then evenly lubricate the product, capturing the adjacent area, let it soak in and seal with a plaster. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times a day. Plantar warts are more difficult to remove, so add salt and soda to the bath with water, and soak a cotton pad with oxolinic ointment and fix it around the sole with bandages overnight and even for a day.

The effect of the drug occurs on average in 2-4 weeks, and sometimes the treatment lasts up to 2 months: gradual dying off and then complete cleansing of the skin from the growth occurs. This happens differently for everyone, depending on the person's immunity and viral activity.

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Use Oxolin ointment during pregnancy

There have been no studies on the effect of the drug on embryonic development, so in order to protect the woman and her future child, doctors do not recommend removing warts with oxolinic ointment during this period, as well as during breastfeeding. Its use for children is not carried out for the same reason.

Contraindications

The ointment should not be applied to damaged skin. Another contraindication for use is hypersensitivity to the active substance or other components of the drug.

Side effects include a local reaction at the site of application of the ointment in the form of burning, reddening of the skin. The appearance of such a reaction is a signal to stop using it and turn to other means.

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Overdose

The manufacturers of the product do not know anything about cases of overdose, but if irritation or swelling occurs, wash the ointment off the skin with water, lubricate it with Vaseline and do not use it anymore.

Interactions with other drugs

Concomitant use with adrenergic stimulants (ephedrine, phenamine, pargyline, etc.) is not recommended.

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Storage conditions

Store out of reach of children at a temperature not exceeding 10ºС.

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Shelf life

Each manufacturer's packaging indicates an expiration date, but the maximum is 3 years; after this date, the ointment cannot be used.

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Analogues

Side effects may make it impossible to use oxolinic ointment. In this case, resort to similar means without oxoline: alpizarin, acyclovir, viferon.

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Reviews

Oxolinic ointment has helped many people get rid of unpleasant skin lesions, especially since such treatment does not require large financial investments. But there are also negative reviews indicating that there is no guarantee of a 100% result.

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Attention!

To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Oxolin ointment for warts" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.

Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.

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