Evaluation Of Treatment Of Warts By Hypnosis

Abstract

An attempt has been made to induce unilateral disappearance of common warts by using two forms of suggestion under controlled conditions. Twenty-four of the original 91 patients defaulted without trace after three months; 22 of the remaining 67 lost their warts, but all did so on both sides. No case of unilateral disappearance was seen. It is suggested that these results show that this attempt to charm warts failed and that the ‘cures’ depended upon spontaneous resolution. With the possible exception of Sinclair-Gieben and Chalmers (1959) who used hypnosis (not simple charming) I know of no convincing evidence that charming works.