How to Remove Warts on Children

Verruca vulgaris, or the common wart, is especially common in children. Warts are bumpy, hard growths that can appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly on the hands, fingers, wrists and elbows. Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, which causes the outer layer of skin to grow abnormally. Over-the-counter medications can be used to remove warts on children, but in some cases a doctor will need to remove it.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor's appointment
• Duct tape
• Wart remover
• Cryosurgery

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Instructions

• 1

  Take your child to the doctor to verify that the bumpy growth is a wart and not a symptom of another condition. The doctor can give you advice on the best treatment for your child.

• 2

  Wait for the warts to go away, especially in very young children. Some children are susceptible to the virus that causes warts for a short time in their lives. If you wait, the warts often will disappear as mysteriously as they appeared.

• 3

  Have your child visualize the wart disappearing. Some studies suggest that if your child imagines the wart disappearing and dissolving, it might go away on its own.

• 4

  Use silver duct tape on the warts. Silver duct tape was found to be 21 percent effective in wart removal, according to MSNBC. Cut a small section of the silver duct tape and place it on top of the wart, replacing it when it starts to fall off. Leave it on until the wart disappears. It is believed that the rubber in the duct tape interrupts the growth of the wart and might encourage a child's immune system to attack the wart, according to Amy Paller of MSNBC Health Segment.

• 5

  Apply an over-the-counter wart remover. There are a variety of wart removal creams, gels, pads and sprays available at most drugstores. These wart removers contain salicylic acid and work by burning off the wart. This type of medication can leave a scar in the place of the wart, and the procedure can be painful for your child. There are different strengths available; use the lowest strength for young children. Follow the directions on the box for proper wart removal.

• 6

  Have your child's doctor do cryosurgery to remove the wart. Your doctor will spray on liquid nitrogen to freeze off your child's wart. This procedure can be painful for about a minute or two while he sprays on the nitrogen. Your child might have a small white scar in place of the wart.