Cantharidin: a comprehensive review of the clinical literature.

Background: Cantharidin is a topical vesicant that causes intraepidermal acantholysis with clinical application that includes the removal of warts, molluscum contagiosum (MC), calluses, and acquired perforating dermatoses.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive literature review of the efficacy and safety of cantharidin in the management of various cutaneous conditions.

Methods: A PubMed search was conducted using the term "cantharidin" combined with "warts", "plantar warts", "verruca vulgaris", "periungal", "subungual", "topical treatment", "topical therapy for warts", molluscum contagiosum", "perforating collagenosis," and "acantholysis.