What Do Warts Look Like?
Warts appear as small growths of skin, usually on the hands and feet but they can appear anywhere on the body. They can be bumpy and rough, or flat and smooth. Either way, they aren’t generally painful. Children get warts more often than adults, but they can appear at any age.
What Causes Warts
Warts, also known as verruca, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are contagious and spread by person-to-person contact and even by contaminated surfaces/objects such as swimming pools and showers. That is why it’s important not to rub, scratch or pick at a wart. HPV usually enters the body where there is broken skin. The virus causes the top layer of skin to grow rapidly, forming a wart.
How To Treat Warts
Because warts are contagious and spread easily, it is best to treat them. Freezing them with liquid nitrogen is the best treatment. They generally need two to three treatments with liquid nitrogen, two to three weeks apart. At-home therapies such as salicylic acid are good treatments to use in conjunction with liquid nitrogen. You may have heard that duct tape can get rid of warts, but there is no scientific evidence that it is effective.
Watch as one of our doctors removes a wart!
A wart removal done quickly with no pain ?
Posted by Advanced Specialty Care on Thursday, August 17, 2017
If you think you have warts, get them checked out and treated at an Advanced Specialty Care dermatology office. Our offices are located in the Fairfield County, CT towns of Danbury, Norwalk, and Ridgefield. We specialize in general medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology in Connecticut including acne, skin cancer, psoriasis, eczema, moles, hair loss, rashes, shingles, and scars.