The Best Wart Removal

Warts are small, protruding lumps that appear on the skin, usually for no apparent reason. They usually appear scaly and are most common on the hands and feet. Warts are growths that occur as a result of one type of HPV virus. They are contagious and should not be touched by another individual. You can get rid of warts at home or at your doctor's office.

Home Remedies

• Home remedies for warts can be time-consuming and are not approved by the FDA, although they tend to be less expensive than over-the-counter remedies you can buy at the drugstore.

  Duct tape is said to soften the wart and eventually cause it to fall off. Place a small piece of duct tape over the area of the wart and leave it on for about one week. Remove the duct tape, and the wart should peel off with it. If the wart still remains, apply a new piece of duct tape and leave on for another week.

  Apple cider vinegar is an acidic substance that may dissolve your wart after several treatments. Mix a solution of one part water and one part apple cider vinegar in a large plastic container, then put the container in your bathroom. Take a shower every day, and as you step out of the shower, place the afflicted area in the plastic container. Soak the area for five minutes, then dry it thoroughly. Repeat once per day as you step out of the shower until the wart is gone.

Over-the-Counter Remedies

• Over-the-counter wart remedies are often weaker versions of treatments that doctors use to remove warts. For example, most drugstores carry a liquid nitrogen wart removal kit that people can use at home to treat warts. The kit contains a liquid nitrogen solution that should be placed directly on the wart several times. Most drugstores also carry a patch that contains salicylic acid. The patch is placed directly on the wart for several days and reapplied as needed until the wart has disappeared. Both treatments may require more than one application, but they are usually less expensive than treatments you would receive at the doctor's office if you don't have insurance.

Doctors' Treatments

• Doctors' treatments are the most effective and fast-acting treatments available for wart removal. If you have a wart that has not responded to over-the-counter or home remedies, make an appointment with your general practitioner or dermatologist to have your wart removed. Your doctor will determine the best way to remove your wart depending on where on your body the wart is located and how large it is.

  Most warts are removed with a strong liquid nitrogen treatment that usually only needs to be applied one time. Sometimes, if the wart still remains, liquid nitrogen is applied a second time several weeks later. The liquid nitrogen is placed in a very small amount on top of the wart. The wart will begin to dry out and eventually disappear.

  Salicylic acid treatments are best for smaller warts that do not need to be removed urgently. Your doctor may prescribe a salicylic acid cream or lotion that is applied to your wart several times a day, or a patch that contains salicylic acid that must be worn for several days. The salicylic acid is a stronger solution than what you can purchase at the drugstore and will treat the wart more quickly.

  For stubborn warts, or warts that must be removed immediately, laser wart treatment is the most complicated and expensive. The skin around the wart is cleaned and prepared, then burned with a laser to remove all traces of the HPV virus from the skin and drying it out. The wart should disintegrate and fall off within the next few days.