The jury is still out on using duct tape for wart removal.
While the Archives of pediatrics and Adolescent medicine indicated the duct tape approach was effective to get rid of warts, USA Today report and New York Times report cited duct tape wart cure is overstated.
There are also people trying to remove warts and verruca using gaffer tape.
What is the difference between gaffer tape and duct tape?
Verruca Gaffer Tape vs Duct Tape For Verrucas Removal
Gaffer tape is very similar to duct tape, but they are not identical.
Duct tape is a much more sticky tape for holding stuff together much more permanently. Duct tape is a more aggressive adhesive which may, in some cases, damage the surface it is attached to when it is removed. This should not be a concern if you don’t plan on removing the tape.
Gaffer tape is a lighter duty tape often used for non-permanent installations, preferred in film and theatrical environments. Gaffer tape is strong enough to give lots of holding power, yet has a specially formulated adhesive that is not going to leave a residue or damage the surface it is attached to.
Gaffer tape is relatively more expensive than duct tape for verrucas removal, so it depends on your budget. 
How to Get Rid of Verrucas with Duct Tape or Gaffer Tape
Looking to remove plantar wart with duct tape? The general duct tape wart removal instructions are as below.
Step 1:
Wash and soak your foot or wart area in warm water, then use pumice stone or emery board to file away the top layer of the wart. Dry your foot or wart area completely.
Step 2:
Cut out a piece of the duct tape or gaffer tape as close as possible to the size of the wart. Apply it carefully on top of the wart, press it on firmly, and cover it with an adhesive bandage if desired.
Combining the remedies – first by applying Salicylic acid on verrucas, then cover the treated area with duct tape or gaffer tape – may enhance the overall effect and decrease the treatment time.
Duct tape warts removal – how long does it take?
Step 3:
Leave it in place for 6 days. If it falls off, just put a new piece of tape back on.
At the end of 6 days, take off the tape and soak the area in warm water. Gently scrape off the dead white skin left behind with emery board or a pumice stone.
Step 4:
Leave the tape off over night and then put a new piece back on the next morning for a further 6 days.
Carry on this pattern, so that the tape is always on for 6 days and off for one day each week. Keep filing away the dead skin from the surface of the wart each time the tape is taken off on day 6.
Step 5:
Carry on doing this procedure for up to two months, or until the wart has disappeared.
Duct Tape Wart Removal Snopes: How Does It Work?
Similar as plantar wart removal nail polish, there is a “Suffocation Theory” that duct tape and gaffer tape can remove verruca by creating an air-tight seal around the growth to block the warts from oxygen source and supply. Without enough oxygen, the wart cannot keep growing and it can’t survive.
Dr. Marc Baer DPM voiced his opinion in this video “does duct tape work to treat warts?”.
Getting Rid of Verrucas with Gaffer Tape and Duct Tape: Case Studies
Among the wart removal home remedies, the method of using gaffer tape and duct tape to remove warts have received mixed feedback, with below are some actual case studies and user feedback.
Case Study 1:
After fighting my plantar wart for three years with numerous trips to the doctor, I used duct tape and it worked. / Redndal @ eMedicineHealth
Case Study 2:
My daughter had a large wart on the bottom of her middle toe with several mosaic style warts nearby on the ball of her foot. She was too young to have the dermatologist freeze them off. He told us to use Compound W and duct tape. It took a couple of weeks, but then I simply lifted the wart out of her toe! / Sue @ Medicinenet
Case Study 3:
I’ve had a cluster with one main on on side of toe for 6 years or more. I have tried duct tape – it might have worked on some of them but when I pull the skin there still seem to be paler patches there – not become worse since I gave up the tape about 4 months back. / BriF @ NHS UK
Gaffer Tape and Duct Tape Wart Removal Side Effects
1. Richard G. Henderson, Consultant Radiologist of Darlington Memorial Hospital tried gaffer tape treatment on a family member with plantar warts, showed superior response and no side effects.
2. Some people may experience skin irritation or blistering from the glue in the verruca gaffer tape and duct tape. If this becomes a problem, then stop the duct tape home remedy and consult your doctor.
3. The wart can become sore after filing off the dead skin. While mild pain is not a concern, stop this duct tape approach if it becomes very painful or if it bleeds.
4. The look of a little square of gaffer tape or duct tape over the wart is a concern for some people, while it may be a nuisance having to put the tape back on every time it drops off.
Duct Tape Warts Removal and Verruca Gaffer Tape: In A Nutshell
Get rid of verrucas with duct tape and gaffer tape is a popular wart removal home remedy that have mixed effectiveness feedback, but never use this technique on delicate areas like on the genitals or on the face.
Combining the remedies – first by applying OTC wart removal products like Nevi-Skin cream, then cover the treated area with duct tape and gaffer tape – may enhance the overall effect and decrease the treatment time.
Need more options to get rid of warts?
>> Check out this comprehensive wart removal guide detailing pro and con analysis of each method, and what are the recommendations to remove warts.
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