Patient information from the BMJ Group What are warts? What are

Patient information from the BMJ Group
Warts
Warts usually aren't serious and often clear up on their own. But if you want to get
rid of them more quickly, there are treatments available.
We've brought together the best and most up-to-date research about warts to see
what treatments work. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and
decide which treatments are best for you.
What are warts?
Warts are growths on your skin. Warts on your feet are often called verrucas. Warts
usually appear as flesh-coloured growths with a rough surface. They’re often hard. But
warts can sometimes be dark and have a smooth surface.
Warts are caused by a virus that infects your skin. There are dozens of different types
of this virus.You are most likely to pick up the virus in shared washing areas and showers,
like those you find in swimming pools or gyms. Warts can spread directly from person
to person but this isn't common.
You can try to prevent warts on your feet by wearing rubber verruca socks or flip flops
in shared changing areas or showers. But there’s no research to show how well this
works.
What are the symptoms?
Warts are usually harmless and painless. But many people don't like the way they look,
and they can be upsetting if you get them on your face or hands.
Warts can sometimes be uncomfortable and sore, especially if you get them on the soles
of your feet. Your doctor will probably be able to tell whether you have warts just by
looking at your skin.
What treatments work?
If your warts aren't painful and you don't mind the way they look, you may want to see if
they clear up on their own. But if you're bothered by them there are several treatments
that may help.
Things you can do for yourself
You can buy several over-the-counter treatments for warts. Many of these work well but
they can irritate your skin or cause scarring. So it may be best not to use them on your
face. Ask your doctor if you have any doubts.
•
Salicylic acid is a treatment you paint on to your warts every day. Some products
are Bazuka gel, Cuplex, Duofilm, Occlusal, Salactol, and Salatec. These all form a
film over the wart. Verrugon is for warts on the soles of your feet (verrucas). You
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Warts
have to keep it in place using a plaster. When you use salicylic acid you should
gently rub away the surface of the wart with a file or pumice stone once a week.
Research has found that salicylic acid helped to clear up warts in about 6 in 10
people who used it for six to 12 weeks. Salicylic acid can irritate the skin around
your wart.
•
Putting a piece of duct tape over your wart may help get rid of it.You need to replace
the tape if it falls off. Then, once a week, you take the tape off and rub away the
wart with an emery board or pumice stone. You then start again with a new piece
of tape. Some research found that this helped, but other studies said it didn't work.
•
You can try freezing sprays such as Scholl Freeze Verruca and Wart Remover and
Wartner Wart and Verruca Remover. However, these don’t get as cold as the freezing
that you doctor can do (see below). And there’s not enough research to know if they
work.
•
Silver nitrate is a hard substance. It comes as a sort of pencil. You wet it before
pressing it against your wart. But there isn't enough good research to say whether
it works. One brand name is Avoca.
Medicines
If your warts are very difficult to treat you may be offered a treatment that helps your
body's immune system to fight off the wart. Doctors paint a substance called
dinitrochlorobenzene onto your wart, or inject it into the wart. Research found that the
warts cleared up for 8 in 10 people who were given this treatment. But this treatment
isn't widely available. It can cause severe reactions.
Freezing
Your doctor can freeze your wart for about 10 to 30 seconds using liquid nitrogen. Some
research has found that freezing works for about half the people treated. But other
research says it doesn’t work. Freezing can be painful. It can cause blistering and scarring.
Light treatment
If you have this treatment a substance is painted onto your wart that makes it sensitive
to light. Light or a laser can then be used to destroy the wart. There isn't enough good
research to say for sure if light treatment works. It can cause pain and a burning feeling
for a few days afterwards.
Other treatments
Many other treatments have been tried for warts. For example, you may have heard of
people having a wart removed by a doctor cutting it away or by using a laser. But there
is no research to say whether this works.
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Warts
What will happen to me?
Warts often clear up on their own without any treatment. One study found that 9 in 10
children who had warts when they were 11 were free of them by the time they were 16.
Other studies have found that warts cleared up on their own for two-thirds of people
within two years. But some warts don't clear up on their own. These can be difficult to
treat. If you're finding it difficult to get rid of your warts you may need to try more than
one treatment.
This information is aimed at a UK patient audience. This information however does not replace medical advice.
If you have a medical problem please see your doctor. Please see our full Conditions of Use for this content. These
leaflets are reviewed annually.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2015. All rights reserved.
Last published: Sep 16, 2015
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