Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for a wart

by Dr. Jake Bogan Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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For common warts, look for a 17 percent salicylic acid solution. These products (Compound W, Dr. Scholl's Clear Away Wart Remover, others) are usually used daily, often for a few weeks. For best results, soak your wart in warm water for a few minutes before applying the product.Apr 15, 2020

Medication

Sep 21, 2011 · If you prefer not to wait it out, you have several treatment options: Salicylic acid. This is the main ingredient in aspirin, and it should usually be your first choice. According to one... Freezing. In this treatment, also called cryotherapy, a clinician swabs or …

Procedures

Nov 07, 2019 · These are also the best-studied treatments. How effective is salicylic acid in treating warts? Salicylic acid solutions are applied to the skin several times per day over a number of weeks. The solution forms a thin layer over the wart. This layer is removed before the solution is used again.

Therapy

Best of the Best. Boiron. Thuja Occidentalis 30C Wart Removal Pellets. Check Price. Homeopathic Treatment. Bottom Line. A natural, painless wart treatment that is incredibly easy to use. Pros. Easy, painless treatment is non-topical and dissolved easily under the tongue.

Self-care

Electrosurgery and curettage: Electrosurgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts, and foot warts. Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool. These two procedures often are used together.

Nutrition

If over-the-counter treatment fails, your doctor can remove a wart by: Freezing it with liquid nitrogen. Burning it off with an electric needle or a laser. Applying acids to help destroy the wart. Injecting a drug called bleomycin into the wart (which kills the virus), used for severe cases. ...

What is the best over the counter medication for warts?

Feb 22, 2022 · Some of the most effective and popular medical treatments for wart removal include: Cantharidin. Your doctor may treat your wart by covering it with cantharidin, a substance that will cause a blister to... Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is the most common treatment and involves a doctor freezing off your ...

How to heal warts more quickly and prevent new ones?

Aug 21, 2018 · Apple cider vinegar is a mild acid that may help to burn off the wart while attacking the virus. Create a mixture of two parts apple cider vinegar and one part water. Soak a cotton ball in the...

What is the best over the counter wart removal product?

A long-term or recurring wart problem may require the following treatments: Topical or oral retinoids Oral vitamins fluorouracil cream Phototherapy H2 receptor antagonists bleomycin injection Immunotherapy with topical chemicals (imiquimod) or interferon injections Diagnosis of warts The doctor performs a physical exam to evaluate the type of wart.

What kind of Doctor removes warts?

Aug 23, 2021 · The best wart removers you can buy in 2021. 1. Bazuka Sub-Zero: Best wart remover to freeze your wart off in one go. Price: £12 | Buy now from Express Chemist. Here’s a chilling proposition for ... 2. Bazuka Extra Strength: Best painless wart remover. 3. Wartner Wart & Verruca Cryo Freeze: Easiest ...

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How do I quickly get rid of a wart?

To treat a wart, soak it for 10 to 15 minutes (you can do this in the shower or bath), file away the dead warty skin with an emery board or pumice stone, and apply the salicylic acid. Do this once or twice a day for 12 weeks.

What is the best product to get rid of warts?

Best Overall: Compound W Maximum Strength Fast Acting Gel Wart Remover. Compound W's Maximum Strength Fast Acting Gel is formulated with 17% salicylic acid and works instantly to remove warts, which is why we chose it as our top pick.Mar 21, 2022

How do you get rid of a wart in 24 hours?

Gather a bottle of apple cider vinegar, cotton balls or cotton-tipped applicators, and a small bandage. Soak the cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, and apply this to the area where the wart is. Place the bandage over the cotton ball and leave it in place overnight. Some people may leave it on for up to 24 hours.Feb 27, 2018

What naturally gets rid of warts?

Home remedies from your kitchenApple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is an acidic substance made from fermented apple juice. ... Banana peel. Anecdotal evidence suggests that banana peel might help get rid of warts. ... Garlic. Garlic, a traditional home remedy. ... Orange peel. ... Pineapple. ... Potato. ... Dandelion weed.

Will a wart go away on its own?

Treat the wart. When someone has a healthy immune system, a wart will often go away on its own. This can take a long time, though. In the meantime, the virus that causes warts can spread to other parts of the body, which may lead to more warts. Treatment can help a wart clear more quickly.

How do Dermatologists remove warts?

Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool. These two procedures often are used together. The dermatologist may remove the wart by scraping it off before or after electrosurgery. Excision: The doctor may cut out the wart (excision).

Does clear nail polish get rid of warts?

People also use duct tape or clear nail polish to suffocate the virus, thereby removing the wart, although these treatments probably do not work any better than a placebo. Use duct tape like you would a wart-remover patch. Put a small strip over the wart and leave it in place for about six days.Mar 15, 2022

How does Dr Scholl's Clear Away Wart Remover work?

It works by increasing the amount of moisture in the skin and dissolving the substance that causes the skin cells to stick together. This makes it easier to shed the skin cells. Warts are caused by a virus. Salicylic acid does not affect the virus.

Does apple cider vinegar remove warts permanently?

Vinegar is an acetic acid, which means it can kill certain types of bacteria and viruses upon contact. Vinegar burns and gradually destroys the infected skin, making the wart fall off eventually, like the way salicylic acid works.

Why do people get warts?

Common warts are caused by a virus and are transmitted by touch. It can take a wart as long as two to six months to develop after your skin has been exposed to the virus. Common warts are usually harmless and eventually disappear on their own.Apr 15, 2020

Can you freeze a wart with butane?

Another over-the-counter option is using a freezing spray. The sprays generally contain liquid butane and are sprayed directly onto the wart to freeze and kill the tissue. Temperatures can reach as low as a negative 100 degrees.

How does duct tape remove warts?

By “suffocating” the wart, the duct tape makes it more likely that the skin cells will die. The process of applying and removing the duct tape may also remove additional skin cells, which can make the wart less bulky and noticeable.Jul 12, 2019

What to do if salicylic acid isn't working?

If salicylic acid or freezing isn't working, your doctor may try trichloroacetic acid. With this method, the doctor first shaves the surface of the wart and then applies the acid with a wooden toothpick. It requires repeat treatments every week or so. Side effects are burning and stinging. Minor surgery.

How does salicylic acid work?

Prescription-strength wart medications with salicylic acid work by removing layers of a wart a little bit at a time. Studies show that salicylic acid is more effective when combined with freezing. Freezing (cryotherapy). Freezing therapy done at a doctor's office involves applying liquid nitrogen to your wart.

What is the best way to remove warts?

Unless you have an impaired immune system or diabetes, try these methods: Peeling medicine (salicylic acid). Nonprescription wart removal products such as salicylic acid are available as a patch, ointment, pad and liquid. For common warts, look for a 17 percent salicylic acid solution.

How to diagnose a wart?

Diagnosis. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose a common wart with one or more o

How long does it take for a wart to go away?

Most common warts go away without treatment, though it may take a year or two and new ones may develop nearby. Some people choose to have their warts treated by a doctor because home treatment isn't working and the warts are bothersome, spreading or a cosmetic concern.

What is the least painful treatment for warts?

Doctors generally start with the least painful methods, especially when treating young children. Your doctor may suggest one of the following approaches, based on the location of your warts, your symptoms and your preferences. These methods are sometimes used in combination with home treatments, such as salicylic acid.

How to get rid of a wart on your skin?

File away any dead skin with a disposable emery board or a pumice stone between treatments. If your skin becomes too irritated, decrease how often you use this method to treat your wart. If you're pregnant, talk with your doctor before using an acid solution. Freezing.

How to treat a wart in the skin?

A dermatologist may use one of the following treatments: 1 Cantharidin: A dermatologist may treat a wart in the office by "painting" it with cantharidin. Cantharidin causes a blister to form under the wart. In a week or so, you can return to the office and the dermatologist will clip away the dead wart. 2 Cryotherapy: For common warts in adults and older children, cryotherapy (freezing) is the most common treatment. This treatment is not too painful. It can cause dark spots in people who have dark skin. It is common to need repeat treatments. 3 Electrosurgery and curettage: Electrosurgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts, and foot warts. Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool. These two procedures often are used together. The dermatologist may remove the wart by scraping it off before or after electrosurgery. 4 Excision: The doctor may cut out the wart (excision).

What is the best treatment for dark spots on the foot?

It can cause dark spots in people who have dark skin. It is common to need repeat treatments. Electrosurgery and curettage: Electrosurgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts, and foot warts. Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool.

What medicine to use for warts?

Peeling medicines include salicylic acid (stronger than you can buy at the store), tretinoin, and glycolic acid. Bleomycin: The dermatologist may inject each wart with an anti-cancer medicine, bleomycin. The shots may hurt. They can have other side effects, such as nail loss if given in the fingers.

Can you peel warts?

Chemical peels: When flat warts appear, there are usually many warts. Because so many warts appear, dermatologists often prescribe "peeling" methods to treat these warts. This means, you will apply a peeling medicine at home every day.

Can a dermatologist treat warts?

Although most warts are harmless, dermatologists do treat them. You should see a dermatologist if you cannot get rid of the warts, the warts hurt, or you have many warts. Dermatologists have many treatments for warts. The treatment used depends on the patient’s age and health as well as the type of wart. A dermatologist may use one of the ...

Can warts go away with immunotherapy?

A mild allergic reaction occurs around the treated warts. This reaction may cause the warts to go away. Another type of immunotherapy involves getting shots of interferon. The shots can boost the body’s immune system, which gives the body the ability to fight the virus.

Do warts return at the same site?

This means that warts can return at the same site or appear in a new spot . Sometimes, it seems that new warts appear as fast as old ones go away. This happens when the old warts shed virus cells into the skin before the warts are treated. This allows new warts to grow around the first warts.

How to remove a wart from a spherical object?

If over-the-counter treatment fails, your doctor can remove a wart by: 1 Freezing it with liquid nitrogen. 2 Burning it off with an electric needle or a laser. 3 Applying acids to help destroy the wart. 4 Injecting a drug called bleomycin into the wart (which kills the virus), used for severe cases. 5 Injecting candida antigen to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight off the wart. 6 Prescribing a topical medication called imiquimod ( Aldara ), which improves your body's fighting capabilities. This is mainly helpful for genital warts.

What is the best medicine for genital warts?

Prescribing a topical medication called imiquimod ( Aldara ), which improves your body's fighting capabilities. This is mainly helpful for genital warts. Getting rid of warts takes persistence. It is in the rare situation that a wart is gone with a single treatment.

How to get rid of a wart on your arm?

Burning it off with an electric needle or a laser. Apply ing acids to help destroy the wart. Injecting a drug called bleomycin into the wart (which kills the virus), used for severe cases. Injecting candida antigen to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight off the wart.

How long does it take for a wart to go away?

One-fifth of all warts disappear within six months, and two-thirds are gone within two years. However, if your wart doesn't disappear, or if it's unsightly or uncomfortable, you can try self-treatment or seek help from your doctor.

What is the best way to treat a wart?

If you decide to treat your own wart, your first-choice remedy should be an over-the-counter medication in liquid, gel, pad, or ointment form.

Can you reuse a pumice stone?

You should not reuse the same washcloth or pumice stone or you may keep reinfecting yourself with the wart virus. After applying the over-the-counter salicylic acid treatment, the area should be covered with a piece of duct tape. This will help to both adhere and penetrate the salicylic acid into the skin.

Can butane kill warts?

The sprays generally contain liquid butane and are sprayed directly onto the wart to freeze and kill the tissue. Temperatures can reach as low as a negative 100 degrees. The down side of this home treatment is that it may not freeze the wart deep enough to be effective.

How to treat HPV infection?

It’s thought to improve your body’s reaction to HPV, but there aren’t any studies to support this claim. You can puncture a vitamin E capsule and apply the oil to the wart. Protect the wart with a bandage and keep it on overnight. Repeat daily for two weeks.

How to treat warts with garlic?

To treat warts with garlic, crush up 1 clove and mix it with water. Apply to the wart and cover with a bandage. Repeat daily for three to four weeks. You can also apply garlic juice or rub a clove on the wart.

How to get rid of warts on skin?

Aspirin may also get rid of warts. Its main ingredient is salicylic acid, a common ingredient in over-the-counter wart treatments. Salicylic acid works by peeling away the infected skin. Over time, this removes the wart.

How to get rid of a wart on a swollen ear?

To do so, combine 1 to 2 drops of tea tree oil with 12 drops of a carrier oil, like almond oil or castor oil. Add 3 to 4 drops of this mixture on a cotton ball. Place it on the wart for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat two or three times a day. If you experience irritation, you might need to dilute it even more.

How to get rid of ringworm on skin?

It’s used as a natural remedy for warts, ringworm, dandruff, and other skin conditions. Apply castor oil on the wart every day. It might take two or more weeks for the wart to fall off.

How long does it take for warts to go away?

They’re caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Warts are contagious. They can go away on their own, but it can take weeks, months, or years. Conventional treatments include chemical peels, surgery, freezing, and laser surgery. These treatments can be expensive and cause skin irritation. Another option is to try natural home remedies ...

What is dandelion milk?

Dandelion milk, or sap, is a traditional remedy for skin diseases like warts. A 2011 animal study. Trusted Source. found that dandelion extract may support collagen production, decrease skin inflammation, and soothe irritation. A 2012 study also determined that dandelions have antimicrobial components.

What are the warts on your hands?

Common warts. This is the kind of wart you’re most likely to get on the backs of your hands and fingers. They range in size from very tiny, like a poppy seed, to pea-sized. Common warts have a rough, scaly texture, and are hard to the touch. They vary in color and can be white, tan, pink, grey, or flesh-toned.

How to get rid of a wart on a sandpaper?

Apple cider vinegar is a mild acid that may help to burn off the wart while attacking the virus. Create a mixture of two parts apple cider vinegar and one part water. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and apply to the wart. Tape or bandage it in place overnight. Repeat nightly until the wart is gone.

How long does it take for a wart to heal?

There are a lot of different techniques for removing warts. Warts can also clear up on their own without any treatment, but that may take months or years. Warts in children tend to dissipate more readily than warts in adults. If you choose to let a wart heal on its own, try not to touch it.

What are the warts on my feet called?

Palmar warts. Palmar warts are sometimes caused by picking at plantar warts, the type most commonly found on feet. If these warts appear in a cluster, they are referred to as mosaic warts. Palmar warts can sometimes hurt. They’re usually the size of a pea and vary in color from flesh-toned to pink, or dark brown.

How long does it take for duct tape to remove warts?

Place a small piece of duct tape on your wart and leave it in place for three to six days.

How to stop warts from spreading?

Avoid biting your nails or the hangnails that can form around them. Wear shoes or sandals in public showers and pool areas. If you do get a wart, treat it immediately to stop it from spreading.

What is the best way to remove warts?

Salicylic acid may be the most effective topical wart-removal treatment. It’s available over-the-counter in several forms, including as a concentrated liquid, gel, or adhesive pad. It’s also available in varying strengths. Before using, talk to your doctor about the type and strength of salicylic acid you should use.

How to choose the best wart remover for you

Warts are rough, knobbly growths on your skin caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). They’re most likely to appear on your fingers, knuckles and knees. They can be as small as 1mm or as big as 1cm across, and can also occur in clusters called “mosaic warts”.

1. Bazuka Sub-Zero: Best wart remover to freeze your wart off in one go

Here’s a chilling proposition for your wart. Bazuka’s precise, direct treatment works by freezing the offender to minus 46°C, which should be enough to kill and remove your wart (or verruca) after one application. The wart turns from skin colour to a sort of dead white, before it then “defrosts” again, eventually drying up and disappearing.

2. Bazuka Extra Strength: Best painless wart remover

Bazuka Extra Strength is gentler than freeze treatments, but it’s the strongest acid treatment you can buy, with more than twice the salicylic acid content of regular Bazuka and similar products. You can use it every day if you’re tackling a particularly tenacious wart.

3. Wartner Wart & Verruca Cryo Freeze: Easiest wart remover to use

This Cryo Freeze pen is the new easy-to-use version of Wartner’s cryotherapy verruca treatment, which used to combine a foam applicator and fiddly sponges. The active ingredient is now carbon dioxide (CO2), which is less uncomfortable (and less flammable) than the old dimethyl ether.

4. Scholl Verruca & Wart Treatment Pen: Best wart remover to use on kids

By combining the ease of a pen applicator with the relative gentleness of an acid treatment, Scholl’s Complete Treatment Pen is a great choice for removing small warts from children. It’s actually quite fun to use, too. You click the pen a couple of times, then use the precision tip to apply two drops of blue gel.

5. Wartie Advanced Wart & Verruca Remover: Most powerful wart remover for adults with stubborn warts

Wartie Advanced is not for the faint-hearted, but it might finally blitz the wart other treatments failed to tackle. You basically have to stab the wart and chill it to its core. First you warm the precision metal tip in water, then use it to penetrate the built-up dead skin and deliver a concentrated dose of freezing dimethyl ether gas.

6. Excilor 2in1 Wart & Verruca Treatment: Best combined freeze and acid wart remover

Excilor 2-in-1 is a two-pronged attack, using acid to corrode the wart from the outside, and also freeze therapy to kill it from the inside. You get two different treatments in the box and you're supposed to use them at the same time, so be prepared for a bit of discomfort.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Most warts are self-resolving. Certain home remedies or treatments could help manage them better. HPV vaccination prevents future infections, but is not a cure.
Medication

Keratolytic agents: Used in the form of patches over the warts.

Salicylic acid


Retinoids: To prevent skin cell growth.

Tretinoin


Terpenoids: Causes the skin under the wart to blister, lifting the wart off the skin.

Cantharidin

Procedures

Electrosurgery: Removal of wart by burning the skin that contains a wart.

Curettage: Removal of wart tissue using a scalpel or a small, sharp, spoon-shaped tool.

Laser surgery: Removal of wart using an intense beam of light, or laser, to burn and destroy the wart tissue.

Therapy

Cryotherapy:A mixture of chemicals is sprayed as cold air on the warts. The dead skin is removed by scraping.

Duct tape occlusion:The wart is covered by a duct tape for several days and then removed.

Immunotherapy:Uses interferons and contact sensitizers to fight HPV.

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Avoid touching or pricking the warts as they are contagious.
  • Do not share your clothes, utensils, objects.
  • Avoid physical or sexual contact when you have warts.

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Foods rich in vitamins and minerals: e.g. dark, leafy greens, sea vegetables, spinach, kale, pumpkin
  • Antioxidant rich Foods: e.g. broccoli, blueberries, tomatoes, and cherries
  • Foods rich in proteins: e.g. meat, fish, tofu beans, nuts

Foods to avoid:

  • Foods containing trans fats: e.g. cakes, cookies, crackers, donuts, margarine and fast Foods such as french fries

Specialist to consult

Dermatologist
Specializes in the study of the skin and its disorders.
Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.

Preparing For Your Appointment

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