Acid Strength - Skin Properties

[mcthomas]

I know this might sound a bit crazy, but I need some help, and I am not a chemist by any means, so I thought I would get a few comments from a few of you that seem to have this as an interest.

 

I was working for a company that had a Chemical Lab, just after I had suffered having 6 warts electrically removed from my hands (Burned off).

I met a chemist that had a similar problem, and he did not suffer the way that I did. He went back into his lab, and from what I understand, mixed two acids together, and he came back to me and said, "Here's the Mother of All Acids".

 

I kept this acid for a long time, until I moved. I was rushed, and gave the acid to my neighbor before I moved. He and I used it together.

This is what I was told to do, and this is what I did for years.

 

Take a small toothpick, dip it in the acid (the tip immediatlely turned black). Take a small drop of the acid, and place it directly on the wart.

Wait about 10 seconds, about the amount of time that it would take before it started to hurt just a little bit. Flush water over your hand, then take a detergent, like Dawn Dishwashing liquid, full strenght, rub it into the wart for several seconds, and then wash again.

Within two to three days, the wart would turn brown/black, and within another two to three days, it would get bumped off, and would be gone for many many years.

One compound wart I had: Frozen 3 times, burned twice, and kept comming back. Seemed like it was growing the whold time the wound was healing. After the application of acid, it did not come back for over 5 years.

 

Just recently, they have started popping up again, so here is my question.

 

I havn't been able to find out what the old fellow originally gave me, and I can't find anything related to the "Mother of all Acids".

Some of the reading I have done says strength is related to Hydrogen, etc...,

 

I just did some reading about the Carborane acids discovered by the University of California. They say, super strong, but gentle.

I take it that what I am actually looking for is a corrosive acid, but not Nitric, because it did not do anything to the surface wart. (I just tried it).

 

I just ripped one of these off with a pair of pliers, and stuck a red hot nail to another.

A good acid that would burn these suckers off would be so much more humane!

 

I am determined to find another more humane way to get rid of these darn warts. I refuse to have them burned and froze time and time again, and go through the extended pain, when there is an easier way to do this.

 

Would someone explain Acids to me in relation to skin hazards, and venture to guess why one acid might do better killing a wart than the others.

 

I would really really appreciate it..

 

Thanks,

Mark Thomas

[chemhero]

How much do you kow about acids? (just so I can decide how to help!)

 

Matt

[mcthomas]

I am not a chemist, and do not work with chemicals. I do have a basic knowledge, and have good common horse sense, and have used acids in the past.

I had never dreamed of putting acid on my skin, until the old Chemist suggested it, and it worked like a dream. I did this many times, and never had any problems.

I was trying to figure out what type of acid it was, or what was better than that if there is such a thing, to kill the warts.

 

I really appreciate you taking your time to reply to me!

 

Thanks a bunch!

[chemhero]

Well your right about the relation to hydrogen, when it comes to acids. Under a theory of acids called the bronstead lowry theory (the toher major theory is lewis acid theory, but dont worry about that here), an acid is defined as a hydrogen ion donor (hydrogen ion being a hydrogen, without the electron - some people refer to it as a proton, since thats all it is!)

 

So an example is vinigar, which is a weak acid. When you take neat ethanoic acid (the chemical that makes vinegar...er...vinegar!), and then add it to water, it "dissociates" i.e. breaks up into two parts: the hydrogen ion and the ethanoate ion (which has a negative charge).

 

(citric acid is also a weak acid!)

 

Other common acids work on the same principle: e.g. HCl, H2SO4 (two hydrogen ions are capable of being relased here!!!!)

 

The strength of an acid is defined by its pH (no doubt you already know!)

 

and the pH is proportional to the hydrogen ion concentration:

 

pH = -log (conc. H+ ions) where the logarithm is to the base 10 (dont worry about bases, but it is important you use the right base log when calculating). Most normal substances have a pH between 1-14 (7 being neutral, 1-6.9 being acid, abouve 7 being alkali).

 

Some are below 0 (oh yes! Its true! those concentrated acids are nasty stuff!), and some alkalis go about 14.

 

Anywho,

 

Hydrogen ions can attack pretty easily and start of a chemical reaction (in some chemical reactions, I add acid to kick start the reaction - a catalyst, if you will!), and also acids can cause proteins to break up and stuff. They are pretty nasty!

 

I hope this helps, I have to go into university now. I cant think what acid your freind gave you, but try searching for "superacids"

 

If i can think of aything more, I'll reply. If this hasnt helped, sorry

 

Matt

[thermonub]

if your wondering what acid it was it was probably trichloroacetic acid. my dads a dermotologist and he uses that stuff to get rid of warts and stuff.

[mcthomas]

I wonder if trichloroacetic acid, would fall into a "superacid" category.

 

It may have the specific properties that I am looking for. I did not know that dermotologists actually used acid in their practices.

Maybe this old fellow actually knew this from a dermotologist.

 

Do you, or anyone else know why they would use this acid verses some other type of acid?

I wonder if there is another acid with similar properties as this acid that is stronger than the trichloroacetic acid.

 

It has been my general opinion that most people don't use the worst case scenario, and only pull out the best for last. I have not heard of this acid, but I'm on the hunt for it now. If there is something even stronger, I'll order both when I find it.

 

The acid I was given would kill a wart, and it would fall off in less than a week.

 

Do you know if this acid works this fast?

 

I really appreciate your help!

[John Cuthber]

Salicylic acid is also used for wart removal.