Comparing the Effect of 20% Zinc Oxide Ointment With 80% Trichloroacetic Acid Solution in the Treatment of Genital Warts: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives: There are several treatment options for genital warts, but many can cause skin sensitivities or lead to a recurrence of lesions. This study seeks to compare the effectiveness of 20% zinc oxide ointment with 80% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solution for treating genital warts.Materials and Methods: In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 88 women with genital warts were divided into two groups of 44. Group A received treatment with zinc oxide, while group B was treated with TCA. Patients were followed up three times, at the end of the fourth, eighth, and twelfth weeks after the start of treatment, to assess the effectiveness of the treatments for genital warts. Results: The number, thickness, and diameter of genital warts decreased significantly in both groups during 12-week period (P=0.0001). However, the reduction in the number, thickness, and diameter of warts was significantly greater in the TCA group compared to the zinc oxide group (P=0.001). After 12 weeks, the TCA group achieved complete clearance of lesions in 84.1% of patients, while the zinc oxide group had a 31.7% clearance rate (P=0.001). Conclusions: Given the significantly higher rate of complete clearance of lesions achieved with TCA compared to zinc oxide, it may be a more effective treatment option and preferable in the management of genital warts.