Treatment of common warts with surgery and systemic isotretinoin

Warts, or verrucae, are benign epithelial proliferations of the skin and mucosa caused by infection with human papilloma viruses. These are slow-growing lesions that can remain subclinical for long periods of time. Since there is no single treatment that is 100% effective, and the lesions may effect the patient's life quality, combinations of treatment modalities may be used. A case of hornlike warts on both hands and all over the body is presented. He was treated with surgical excisions and systemic isotretinoin at a dose of 1 mg/day administered for 6 months. The warts were largely resolved by the 6th postoperative month.