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What Are the Treatments for Wart Removal?

Warts are growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts can be spread from one person to the next, so it is important to take precautions not to let the virus spread by eliminating contact with the affected area. Several remedies are available that can help to kill the virus and remove the wart. For tougher wart clusters or genital warts, however, always consult a doctor first.

  1. Common Warts

    • There are several types of common warts that often can be treated with over-the-counter methods. The most common type of wart is found on fingers, knees and toes, and is simply shaped like a dome. Common warts on the face and legs often are flat and known as plane warts. Warts located under the nails are called periungual warts, and other warts known as filiform warts are usually shaped like long stalks, and often appear on the face. Warts can exist alone or in clusters. It's important to recognize that genital warts are different than common warts, and should always be treated by a doctor.

    Freezing

    • Freezing is a popular method of wart removal. You can purchase an over-the-counter freezing kit at a drug store that consists of an aerosol that sprays at a temperature of minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezing temperatures kill the virus, and cause a small blister to form over the wart. Always be sure to not pick or pull the dead skin that forms in the blister because this could cause more infection. If you don't want to do the freezing treatment yourself, visit a doctor who will easily remove the wart using liquid nitrogen, a colder substance at a temperature of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Salicylic Acid Treatments

    • Salicylic acid treatments work by causing the skin to shed its outermost layer. It is known as a keratolytic, which is a peeling agent, helping the excess layers of skin that cover the wart, and the keratin, or protein, that is actually in the wart to be released. This treatment is highly effective for flat warts and plantar warts, especially on the face and hands, and is absolutely not for use on genitals. Find a salicylic acid treatment at a drug store in the form of gels, pads, drops or plasters.

    Other Doctors' Methods

    • For tougher cases of warts on the body, and for warts on the genitals, a visit to the doctor is necessary. To clear up most cases, a doctor can use injections of yeast, bleomycin or imiquimod, which are all immune stimulators. Surgery to remove warts often is avoided. It has been used when warts grow large and become extremely uncomfortable.

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