What are warts?
Common Warts are benign skin growths that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They can appear anywhere on the body but are most commonly found on the hands and feet. Warts are contagious and can be spread from person to person through direct contact or by sharing personal items such as towels, shoes, or razors.
What are wart symptoms?
The symptoms of warts can vary depending on the type of wart and its location on the body.
Common symptoms include:
- Raised, rough, or bumpy growths on the skin
- Discoloration or changes in the texture of the skin
- Pain or tenderness when touched
- Itching or irritation
- Bleeding or oozing in some cases
How do you treat a wart?
Warts can be treated in a variety of ways, including:
- Topical medications: Over-the-counter or prescription medications containing salicylic acid, can be applied to the wart to soften and remove the dead skin cells. They need to be used for a prolonged period of time, usually for several weeks to a few months.
- Cryotherapy: This involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen, causing it to fall off within a few weeks.
- Electrosurgery and curettage: This procedure involves cutting away the wart and using an electric needle to destroy the remaining tissue.
- Laser therapy: In this method, a laser is used to destroy the wart tissue.
- Immunotherapy: This is a relatively new treatment option that uses medications to boost the body's immune system to fight the virus causing the wart.