Flat warts are a common viral skin infection that tends to occur on the face, back of the hands, and forearms. They present as flat, raised papules the size of rice grains to soybeans, which are round, oval, or irregularly polygonal, with a smooth, hard surface, light brown or normal skin color, scattered or dense, and may also coalesce into small patches. Generally, there are no subjective symptoms, and itching may occur when they regress. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, flat warts fall under the categories of "flat warts" and "wart sores." The condition is often caused by the accumulation of wind-heat toxins in the lungs and the obstruction of the meridians by spleen dampness, phlegm, and blood stasis, which leads to stagnation in the skin.
Lung and Stomach Heat Depression Type: The warts are brown, distributed sporadically, and appear in a linear pattern after scratching, resembling beads; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow, and the pulse is rapid.
Spleen Dampness and Phlegm Stasis Type: More common on the face, with fewer flat warts, raised above the skin, mostly skin-colored, with occasional itching, accompanied by poor appetite and abdominal bloating; the tongue is pale, the coating is greasy, and the pulse is deep and choppy.
It is recommended to perform moxibustion once a day, targeting 2 to 3 acupoints each time, with each acupoint being treated for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the points treated, with a 10-day period constituting one course of treatment, and then rest for 2 to 3 days before continuing with the next course. (If time permits and there is a need, more acupoints can be treated with moxibustion. The specific duration should be adjusted according to one's own physical needs.)
1. During the conditioning period, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and do not scratch the skin. 2. After moxibustion conditioning, some patients may experience worsening of the warts, redness in color, increased itching, and an acute episode. This is a normal phenomenon and a manifestation of vigorous and smooth flow of qi and blood. 3. External wash recipe: 10 grams each of Sophora flavescens, Angelica dahurica, Forsythia suspensa, Lonicerae japonicae, Carthamus tinctorius, Artemisia argyi, Phellodendron amurense, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Paeonia lactiflora, 6 grams of copper sulfate, and 5 grams of sulfur. Add an appropriate amount of water, decoct, and apply wet compresses to the local area.