Warts

If you have warts on your skin, our medical providers at Skin Care Doctors can remove them so your skin looks and feels smooth again.

What Are Warts?

Warts are small, rough, raised bumps caused by the viral infection known as the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can enter the body through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin. Warts usually appear on the skin of the hands, feet, or genitals. While typically harmless and often going away independently over time, they can also be unsightly or cause discomfort, depending on their location. Warts are contagious; you must be careful because they can spread from person to person through direct contact or by sharing personal items such as towels or shoes.

Who Gets Warts?

Anyone can get warts, but some people are more prone to them than others. While most commonly seen in children and young adults, people of any age can get them. Certain factors can increase the risk of warts, such as having a weakened immune system, coming into contact with someone who has warts, and walking barefoot in public areas like locker rooms or swimming pools. People who bite their nails or pick at their cuticles are also more likely to develop warts on their fingers. Some forms of HPV that cause genital warts are sexually transmitted, so sexually active people may be at increased risk.

Wart Treatment Options

Several options are available to rid your skin of warts, including surgical and non-surgical treatments.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Topical creams, gels, and solutions can be purchased over the counter and applied directly to the wart. These products usually contain salicylic acid, which dissolves the wart over time.

Cryotherapy

Freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen can cause it to blister, scab, and eventually fall off. This can cause a burning or stinging sensation and may feel sensitive for up to a few days.

Laser Therapy

For large or stubborn warts that have not responded to other treatments, laser therapy uses a high-intensity beam of light to destroy the blood vessels to the wart, causing it to die and fall off after two to three weeks.

Surgical Removal

A medical professional can remove larger, deeper, or more painful warts by cutting them out or scraping them off with a scalpel. This treatment is performed under local anesthesia and may leave a scar.

Immunotherapy

For warts resistant to other treatments, immunotherapy uses medications to stimulate the body's immune system, attacking the virus that causes the wart. This treatment may be time-consuming and require multiple sessions.

Experience Wart-Free Skin

Most warts are relatively harmless; while they may be unsightly, some go away on their own. Some potential complications can result from warts, such as pain, infection, cosmetic defects, and cancer. Our medical providers at Skin Care Doctors offer various wart treatments to restore a smooth texture to your skin, preventing the associated risks. Contact our office today for an effective wart-removal solution.