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Treatments for Warts

Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the rough skin growths known as warts. Although warts do not usually cause pain and may sometimes go away without treatment, they can be passed from person to person, and treating them can reduce their spread. Treating warts usually involves applying medication to the skin, although home remedies and surgeries are also available.

  1. Salicylic Acid

    • If you have warts on your feet, hands or knees, you can purchase salicylic acid such as Compound W to remove them, says the American Academy of Dermatology. This type of over-the-counter medication, which is also used to treat acne and corns, is applied to the wart daily for several weeks. It causes the outer layer of skin to peel away.

    Cantharidin

    • Another topical medication called cantharidin can treat warts. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, your doctor puts this chemical on your warts. Several hours later, the wart will blister, leaving healthy skin beneath. Usually you only need one application of this medicine, but if it does not work the first time, your doctor can reapply this prescription medicine.

    Cryotherapy, Electrocautery and Laser Therapy

    • Applying liquid nitrogen to warts freezes the infected skin and helps it to blister, dry up and fall off. This process, called cryotherapy, can be painful, so doctors may inject a numbing anesthetic into the area surrounding the wart to reduce pain and discomfort. Larger, thicker warts may need to be treated with multiple rounds of cryotherapy. In some cases, electrocautery is used to "burn" the warts off, and lasers can also be used to destroy warts that recur or that are resistant to treatment.

    Home Remedies

    • Some research has suggested that applying duct tape to common warts may be an effective home remedy and even more effective than cryotherapy. To remove warts using duct tape, you can apply a small piece of tape to the wart area. Leave it in place for several days, remove the tape, and remove the deadened cells with an emery board. Then reapply the tape and repeat the process until the wart is gone.

    Genital Warts

    • Genital warts, also caused by the human papillomavirus, require treatment different than common warts. If you have genital warts, a doctor will treat you with topical creams or remove the warts with freezing, burning or laser surgery, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease says. However, you should not attempt to treat genital warts yourself with over-the-counter medicines intended for common warts.

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