What are warts?
Warts are caused by a virus which can be spread by skin contact. The skin responds by creating a thickening of the skin, or callus. Warts are usually harmless to the skin, and may go away after months or years. Some warts persist or become painful due to the calluses they create. Most methods used to treat warts is non-specific to destroy the skin that the wart virus lives within. These methods can, but rarely, lead to scarring. There are prescription creams, solutions and injections which can also help to specifically kill off the wart virus. We treat warts because they are easily spread to other sites and other people, and some types of warts can lead to cancer.
Wart Treatments
We offer multiple options for the treatment of warts. The most common in-office treatment for warts is Cryotherapy (Freezing). This treatment involves your provider applying liquid nitrogen to the wart. Alternatively, a special liquid, cantharidin, can be used for some types of warts. These methods typically require multiple monthly treatments. Additionally, warts can be injected by a sensitizing medication, to enhance the immune system’s defense against the virus. Topical prescriptions such as imiquimod cream and 5 Fluorouracil with salicylic acid, can also be prescribed for at home use to combat the wart virus.
