Warts, caused by the human papillomavirus entering through cracks in the skin, are growths that appear on the hands, fingers, and feet (plantar warts). Warts are non-cancerous, do not require treatment and often disappear on their own but can cause embarrassment. You might prefer treatment to remove them, especially if they are recurrent. Home treatments are usually sufficient but you might prefer or need stronger medical intervention.
Home Treatments
Home treatments like Compound W contain salicylic acid, which breaks down the wart. You can use them in liquid or patch form and take several weeks to work. For optimal effectiveness, soak the wart in warm water for 20 minutes before applying treatment and remove dead skin with a file or pumice between treatments.
Another cheap home remedy involves applying duct tape to the wart for six days, soaking the wart in water and filing it down with a nail file or pumice stone. It will take about two months for the wart to disappear.
Topical Treatments
If at-home treatment does not work, many wart sufferers will likely move to in-office medical procedures.
Cryotherapy or liquid nitrogen therapy freezes the wart, causing a blister to form underneath; dead tissue falls off within a week or so. This procedure is relatively painless and effective though several treatments might be necessary.
Cantharidin, a substance obtained from the blister beetle, is applied to your skin and covered with a bandage. The procedure itself will not cause you any pain but the blister it forms can cause discomfort. The blister helps separate the wart from the skin, causing the tissue to die.
Immunotherapy strengthens the immune system's ability to fight off the virus causing the warts. Common topical medications include squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE) or Aldara.
Bleomycin (Blexonane) is an injected medication that kills HPV. Retionoids, which are made from vitamin A, interrupt the growth cycle of the skin cells present in the wart.
Surgical Procedures
Surgical procedures are normally used for warts that have not responded to other treatments. Your doctor can cut the wart tissue away or destroy it with a process called electrodesiccation and curettage, which involves the use of electric needles. Laser surgery is also an option but can be costly.
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