Remove Warts for Good with These Skin Treatments
Warts often appear on our hands and on our feet but can appear on other areas of the body too. They can be both painful and embarrassing to live with. With the help from a dermatologist at the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute you can finally learn how to get rid of your warts for good. The dermatologist can provide a variety of treatments based on the severity of the condition and location of the warts.
What is a Wart and What Causes Them?
Warts are small, noncancerous skin growths that appear when the skin is affected with a virus within the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. HPV triggers extra cell growth, making the outer layer of skin thick and hard. This thick and hard skin is the wart. Warts on hands and warts on feet are the most common spots warts develop on. They’re also common in both men and women of all ages. Warts are contagious and are typically passed through direct skin contact. Warts can be described as common warts, plantar warts or genital warts.
Common warts appear around the fingers, nails and feet. They are small and feel like rough, hard bumps. Plantar warts are on your feet. Since you are walking on your feet, these warts grow into your skin from the pressure of walking and standing. Genital warts are passed on through sexual intercourse and can pass on if not taken care of.
Whether you are experiencing common warts, plantar warts or genital warts there are different wart removal methods available based on your situation and your needs. Surgical and nonsurgical methods can be attempted.
Surgical Wart Removal Methods
Depending on the severity, there are different ways a dermatologist can get rid of the warts. Surgical options include both freezing them or laser surgery. When freezing (cryotherapy) is performed the wart is destroyed by freezing it with liquid nitrogen. The skin begins to thaw and the wart eventually falls off.
While this method is common and effective, multiple treatments are often needed to see complete removal. Another common method used to remove warts is laser surgery. The laser emits a narrow beam of light which helps vaporize HPV growths.
Non-surgical Wart Removal Methods
While surgical removal may be necessary for some cases of warts, non-surgical may be the best option for others. Non-surgical options include injections, HPV vaccines and other-the-counter (OTC) treatments. There are two HPV vaccines that are FDA-approved and can be used to help stop the growth of the HPV. Injections are also able to be used to assist in killing the virus. Lastly, OTC treatments can be used to self-treat the warts. Topical solutions are available that can be put on daily. Depending on the severity of the warts, this could be the most cost-effective and efficient option.
If you are in Bloomington, Illinois or the surrounding areas and have experienced warts and are ready to find a treatment plan, get in touch with a dermatologist at the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute. We look forward to helping you become pain free and gain your confidence back.