What are warts?
Warts are harmless and very common skin growths caused by a skin virus called HPV. They can grow on any part of the body and their appearance depends on their location. Both children and adults can develop warts. A wart on the bottom of the foot is called a plantar wart and can be painful with pressure. They are persistent and can last for years, because the body tends to ignore the virus.
What causes warts?
A virus causes this skin condition, which is commonly picked up anywhere in the environment. Since a wart is caused by a virus, it is slightly contagious. We don’t know why some people get warts easily while others never get them. There is no truly effective way to prevent them.
How are they treated?
Over-the-counter wart treatments and duct tape can be helpful for small occurrences of this skin condition. Some people have warts that are more stubborn. A wart that is large, painful may require in-office treatments. Treatment options include combinations of cryotherapy, intralesional candida antigen, topical immunotherapy, and paring/curettage of the thick warty layers.
No one treatment works well for everyone and multiple treatments are necessary. The best course for this skin condition is a combination of a daily home regimen with monthly in-office visits. We focus on painless methods for treating warts in children.
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