Warts are extremely common, but dealing with them can be frustrating and embarrassing. This comprehensive guide on wart removal treatment provides everything you need to know to safely and effectively get rid of warts for good.
What Are Warts and What Causes Them?
Warts are small, rough, hard growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Over 100 different strains of HPV exist, and different types cause different kinds of warts in different areas of the body.
Common warts often form on hands and feet, while plantar warts grow on the soles of feet. Flat, flesh-colored filiform warts can grow on the face, neck, and body. HPV strains also cause genital warts.
HPV enters the skin through tiny abrasions and causes rapid growth of skin cells, resulting in wart formation. Since the virus is contagious through touch, warts often cluster in groups. While not usually a medical concern, warts are unsightly and can be painful if on weight-bearing areas like the feet.
How Do You Know if You Have Warts?
Warts vary in appearance, but share some common traits that differentiate them from other skin growths:
- Rough, uneven texture – Warts have a cauliflower-like surface, unlike surrounding smooth skin.
- Firm to the touch – Unlike some other skin lesions, warts have a firm, solid feel.
- Pinpoint black dots – Tiny clotted blood vessels often appear as dark flecks on wart skin.
- Changes in skin lines – Skin lines around a wart often curve inward rather than following their normal pattern.
If you notice any abnormal skin growths exhibiting some or all of these wart signs, consulting your doctor can provide an accurate diagnosis. Self-diagnosis of warts is difficult and delays treatment.
Types of Wart Removal Treatment
Several effective methods for destroying wart tissues and removing warts for good exist. The most appropriate wart removal treatment depends on factors like wart type, location, size, number, and your preferences.
Common over-the-counter treatments:
- Salicylic acid
- Duct tape occlusion
Prescription treatments:
- Freezing (cryotherapy)
- Laser
- Minor surgery to cut away warts
Your dermatologist or general practitioner can recommend the best course of action tailored to your unique situation.
At-Home Wart Removal Methods
Trying over-the-counter wart removers contains costs. These methods work best on younger, smaller warts on hands and feet.
Salicylic Acid
This beta hydroxy acid comes in gel, pad, and bandage form. By exfoliating skin layers, salicylic acid gradually destroys infected wart cells without damaging healthy tissue.
Consistent use for several weeks usually removes warts. Salicylic acid works best in conjunction with debriding dead skin using emery boards or pumice stones.
Duct Tape Occlusion
Covering warts with adhesive duct tape is a simple, inexpensive home remedy. The tape’s adhesive chemicals seem to stimulate immune cells, while cutting off oxygen may weaken wart virus particles.
Place small squares of duct tape precisely over each wart, replacing every 5-7 days. After 1-2 months, warts turn white and easily scrape away. Duct tape works best on flat warts rather than raised, irregular ones.
Medical Wart Removal Options
More extensive warts often require medical treatment for permanent removal. Several fast-acting, highly effective options exist.
Cryotherapy (Freezing Warts)
Cryotherapy is the most common in-office treatment for warts. Liquid nitrogen at -196°C is applied directly to warts using a cotton swab or spray device. The extreme cold damages cell membranes and destroys wart tissues.
Most patients require 2-4 weekly sessions spaced a month apart. Freezing is safe for most people but can cause pain and blistering. Rarely, it produces lightening or darkening of skin in treated areas.
Laser Therapy
Lasers precisely target wart blood vessels and tissues without affecting surrounding skin. Pulsed dye lasers, CO2 lasers, and non-ablative photodynamic therapy prove effective for hands, feet, or genital warts.
Laser removal requires no anesthetic and causes little pain. While costly, it permanently destroys wart root structures in 1-3 brief sessions in a dermatologist’s office. Lasers carry a small risk of infection or scarring if improperly used.
Minor Surgery
In cases of large or deep warts where other methods fail, surgical removal quickly eliminates warts. The dermatologist numbs the area with a local anesthetic injection before using a scalpel, scissors or electrosurgery unit to cut away the entire wart plus surrounding tissue margins down to bare skin.
The wound leaves behind a round depressed scar that gradually fills in over several months. Rare side effects include nerve damage, wound infection and recurrence.
When Should You Consider Surgical Removal of Warts?
While home treatments and cryotherapy work for many warts, surgery provides the most thorough removal in these situations:
- Very large or thick verruca plantaris warts on weight bearing feet areas
- Warts covering over 2 cm of skin area
- Warts present for over 2 years
- Multiple treatment failure allowing regrowth
- Warts causing pain or impairment of function
- Facial warts producing significant cosmetic concerns
Surgical wort removal requires only one treatment session and lowers risk of warts spreading or returning compared to other methods.
Preventing Warts
Catching new warts early and avoiding behaviors that increase infection risk gives the best protection against dealing with warts:
- Carefully inspect skin, especially hands and feet, often
- Never touch or pick at warts
- Cover existing warts with watertight bandages
- Avoid direct contact with warts on others
- Don’t go barefoot in public showers or pools
- Stay up to date on HPV vaccines
Conclusion
From over-the-counter acids to surgical excision, safe and effective wart removal treatments exist for even the most stubborn warts. Paying attention to unusual skin changes, accurately diagnosing warts early and consulting a skin doctor determines best removal approach for your unique situation.
With knowledge of the pros, cons and expected results of different methods, removing warts need not be difficult or lengthy process. Take back beautiful, healthy skin by understanding and properly utilizing wart removal treatments.
Frequently Asked Questions on Wart Removal
Still have questions about permanently banishing warts? Below are answers to some of the most common inquiries on wart removal treatments:
Do I need to see my doctor to get treatment for warts?
For optimal outcomes, having a dermatologist accurately diagnose warts guides selection of proper removal methods. At-home, over-the-counter options work only on certain wart types.
How much does it cost to get warts removed?
Removing warts at home costs between $10-25 for salicylic acid products or duct tape. In-office cryotherapy averages $150-300 per session based on number of warts treated. Surgical removal and laser can cost over $500 but often require only one session.
How fast do wart removal treatments work?
Home remedies take weeks to months of consistent use. Freezing and lasers destroy warts in as little as one weekly session, but may need repeat treatments. Surgery removes warts instantly in a single visit.
What’s the best at home remedy to remove warts fast?
No one method reliably works faster than alternatives. Combining salicylic acid to exfoliate dead skin with duct tape occlusion gives best home removal rates. Plan on needing 6+ weeks minimum to see desired results.
How do you know when a wart is gone after treatment?
Warts turn white or black after successful freezing or acid treatments and easily scrape off using an emery board or pumice stone, showing smooth skin underneath. Lasers and surgery remove entire wart and roots instantly, with regrowth being very rare.