Warts

warts
Warts: Notice the clustering of the warts which is typical of mosaic warts

Warts are very common skin growths caused by the human papilloma virus. Because they are the result of an infection in your skin, they are contagious and spread by direct skin-to-skin contact. You are more likely to develop warts if you use public showers, suffer from eczema, and/or suffer from a lowered immune system. While any skin surface may grow warts, warts are most common on the hands and feet.

Types

There are many different varieties of warts. Some of the most common warts are:

  • Common wart – A raised wart with roughened surface, most common on hands, but can grow anywhere on the body.
  • Flat wart – A small, smooth flattened wart, typically skin-colored, which can occur in large numbers.
  • Filiform or digitate wart – A finger-like wart, most common on the face, especially near the eyelids and lips.
  • Genital wart – A wart that occurs on the genitalia.
  • Mosaic wart – A group of tightly clustered plantar-type warts, commonly on the hands or soles of the feet.
  • Periungual wart – A cauliflower-like cluster of warts that occurs around the nails.
  • Plantar wart – A hard sometimes painful lump, often with multiple black specks in the center; usually only found on pressure points on the soles of the feet.

Treatment

Treatment options for warts include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Cantharidin – A solution that causes a blister to form underneath the wart
  • Cryotherapy (freezing) – The most common treatment
  • Topical prescription creams
  • Immunotherapy – Usually reserved for warts that haven’t responded to other treatments

Most wart treatments require several treatments. If you have warts don’t wait. Make an appointment today and Dr. Mary Noël George can help customize a treatment plan that will work best for your warts and lifestyle.

Do You Have Any Warts?

Are you sick of unsightly warts on your body? Schedule an appointment immediately so that Dr. Mary Noël George can help provide treatment options to help remove your warts.

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