general information on warts
A wart is generally a small, rough tumor, typically on hands and feet, that can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. Warts are common, and are caused by a viral infection, specifically by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious when in contact with the skin of another. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can reoccur. A few papilloma viruses are known to cause cervical cancer.
Types of wart
A range of different types of wart have been identified, which differ in shape and site affected, as well as the type of human papillomavirus involved. These include:
- common wart (Verruca vulgaris): a raised wart with roughened surface, most common on hands and knees
- flat wart (Verruca plana): a small, smooth flattened wart, tan or flesh coloured, which can occur in large numbers; most common on the face, neck, hands, wrists and knees
- filiform or digitate wart: a thread- or finger-like wart, most common on the face, especially near the eyelids and lips
- plantar wart (verruca, Verruca pedis): a hard sometimes painful lump, often with multiple black specks in the center; usually only found on pressure points on the soles of the feet
- mosaic wart: a group of tightly clustered plantar-type warts, commonly on the hands or soles of the feet
- genital wart (venereal wart, Condyloma acuminatum, Verruca acuminata):
Treatment
Treatments that may be prescribed by a medical professional include:
- Keratolysis, removal of dead surface skin cells usually using salicylic acid, blistering agents, immune system modifiers ("immunomodulators"), or formaldehyde.
- Cryosurgery, which involves freezing the wart (generally with liquid nitrogen), after which the wart and surrounding dead skin falls off by itself.
- Surgical curettage of the wart.
- Laser treatment.
- Imiquimod, a topical cream that helps the body's immune system fight the wart virus by encouraging interferon production.
- Candida injections at the site of the wart, which also stimulate the body's immune system.
- Cantharidin, a chemical found naturally in many members of the beetle family Meloidae which causes dermal blistering.
The wart often regrows after the skin has healed.
One review of 52 clinical trials of various cutaneous wart treatments concluded that topical treatments containing salicylic acid were the best supported, with an average cure rate of 75% observed with salicylic acid compared with 48% for placebo in six placebo-controlled trials including a total of 376 participants. The reviewers also concluded that there was little evidence of a significant benefit of Cryotherapy over placebo or no treatment