Wart Removal Methods
Warts are caused by HPV, a common skin infection that results in small, raised, rough growths. Although they are mostly harmless and can disappear without treatment, warts can be persistent and difficult to remove. This is because the virus can remain dormant in the body for long periods and can penetrate deeply into the skin. Seeking professional medical advice is recommended for persistent warts.
Understanding the Stubbornness of Warts
Warts are caused by HPV, a common skin infection that results in small, raised, rough growths. Although they are mostly harmless and can disappear without treatment, warts can be persistent and difficult to remove. This is because the virus can remain dormant in the body for long periods and can penetrate deeply into the skin. Seeking professional medical advice is recommended for persistent warts.
Risks Associated with Warts
While most warts are benign and do not pose serious health risks, some can cause pain, itching, or bleeding, especially if located in sensitive areas. Warts can also be unsightly, affecting self-esteem. Rarely, warts may indicate a serious medical condition like HPV infection or a weakened immune system.
Cryotherapy for Warts
Cryotherapy involves freezing the wart tissue to kill the cells and encourage the wart to fall off. The procedure uses liquid nitrogen applied with a cotton swab, spray, or probe. While the freezing can be uncomfortable, it is generally effective. Multiple treatments may be necessary. Potential side effects include blisters, scarring, and skin color changes.
Causes of Warts
Warts are caused by a viral infection of the skin cells, specifically by the highly contagious HPV. This virus can spread through close contact with an infected person or object. There are over 100 different strains of HPV, each capable of causing warts on different body parts. Some HPV strains are also linked to the development of cancers, including cervical cancer.
Types of Warts
- Common warts: Raised, scaly bumps often found on hands, elbows, and fingers, usually grey or brown and resembling cauliflower.
- Plantar warts: Found on the bottoms of the feet, these can be painful and appear as small granular bumps or larger rough growths.
- Flat warts: Small, smooth, flat-topped warts that can be pink, brown, or yellow, typically on the face, neck, or hands.
- Filiform warts: Long, thin warts that usually develop on the face, neck, or eyelids, often flesh-colored or brown.
- Periungual warts: Painful warts around the nails, potentially causing the nail to bend or fall off.
Dermatologist-Recommended Treatments for Warts
Depending on the type and severity, dermatologists may recommend:
- Salicylic acid: Over-the-counter treatment in various forms that helps break down the wart.
- Cryotherapy: Uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart, which then falls off after a week or two.
- Cantharidin: Causes a blister under the wart, which the dermatologist can then remove.
- Curettage and electrodesiccation: Involves scraping the wart and burning the base with an electric needle.
- Laser therapy: Destroys the wart’s blood vessels, causing it to die and fall off.
- Immunotherapy: Stimulates the immune system to attack the wart, often involving an antigen injection.
Each treatment option may have side effects like pain, scarring, or skin discoloration, so it’s important to discuss the risks and benefits with a dermatologist.
Salicylic Acid Treatment for Warts
Salicylic acid is a keratolytic medication that helps dissolve the protein making up the wart. Available in gels, ointments, pads, and solutions, it is typically used after soaking the affected area in warm water. The product is applied directly to the wart and covered. The treatment may need to be repeated daily or every other day until the wart is gone, which could take weeks or months.
Laser Treatment for Warts
Laser treatment uses a concentrated light beam to destroy the wart tissue. It is often recommended for warts resistant to other treatments. The laser heats the blood vessels feeding the wart tissue, causing it to die. Possible side effects include discomfort, redness, swelling, scarring, and changes in skin pigment.
Topical Medications for Warts
Dermatologists may recommend topical medications such as:
- Imiquimod: A prescription cream that boosts the immune system’s response against the wart.
- Bleomycin: An antibiotic injected into the wart to destroy its blood supply.
- Podophyllin: Applied directly to the wart, it kills the skin cells forming the wart.
- Cantharidin: Causes blistering under the wart, leading to its removal.
- Retinoids: Reduce skin cell production to help shrink the wart.
These medications can cause skin irritation, so following a dermatologist’s instructions is important.
Immunotherapy for Warts
Immunotherapy boosts the body’s defenses against warts. One method involves injecting Candida antigen into the wart to stimulate the immune system. Another method, contact immunotherapy, applies a sensitizing substance around the wart to trigger an allergic reaction, prompting the body to attack the wart. Side effects can include discomfort, redness, swelling, or itching at the treatment site.
Surgical Removal of Warts
When other treatments fail or warts are too large, surgical removal is an option. Methods include:
- Excision: Cutting the wart out with a scalpel.
- Curettage: Scraping the wart with a curette.
- Electrosurgery: Burning the wart tissue with an electric current.
- Laser surgery: Using a laser to burn off the wart.
Post-operative care is essential to ensure proper healing, and scarring may occur.
Electrocautery and Chemical Peels for Wart Removal
Electrocautery burns and destroys wart tissue using an electric current, typically under local anesthesia. Chemical peels use solutions like trichloroacetic acid to dissolve the top layer of skin and wart tissue. Both methods may cause scarring or discoloration and require consultation with a dermatologist to determine suitability.