| An external drug used to treat HPV, genital warts.
Podophyllin 10%-25% in a tincture of Benzoin can be applied to treat genital warts. Podophyllin is caustic, and cytotoxic, so it can easily cause irritation. The area surrounding the warts is supposed to be treated with vaseline to protect the surrounding skin from the podophyllin. According to some sources, the area should be washed after 1-4 hours, and according to others, it should be 4-6. I'd say 4 to play it safe. Treatment should take place once or twice a week for six weeks.
Unfortunately, when -I- got this done, the doctor just seemed to forget about the vaseline. He just slapped the podophyllin right on. Which brings me to the side effects...
Podophyllin causes PAINFUL irritation if applied in excess (or without the protection it's supposed to have). Applications should not cover more than 10 cm2 for external warts, and not more than 2 cm2 for vaginal warts.
There are several alternative treatments, and while I have not used any of those, I can almost say without a doubt that they are better than podophyllin. Then again, the doctor messed up when he applied it, so it's possible that it really should not be this bad. All I know is that I can barely even walk right now.
Overexposure to podophyllin can cause several different effects - I don't know if all of these are true, because each web site seems to say something different. Some say that it causes irritation, others that it can cause nerve damage, and still another said convulsion and death. This drug is supposedly safe, but my suggestion is to stay away.
BTW, I am not a doctor, so don't quote me on any of this! This is merely information I gathered from a variety of web sites on the Internet, and gave my own opinion of. | 
