Wart removal

Wart removal, also referred to as wart treatment or wart elimination, is a dermatological procedure aimed at safely removing or destroying a skin lesion affected by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Treatment may be needed if a wart is painful, interferes with walking, bleeds after trauma, spreads, is located in a cosmetically visible area, or if the patient is not sure whether the lesion is truly a wart.

Warts are benign skin or mucosal growths caused by the human papillomavirus. Common skin warts are usually not dangerous, but they can be contagious, spread to other parts of the body, cause pain or discomfort, and sometimes look similar to other skin lesions. This is why, before wart removal, it is important to make sure that the lesion is actually a wart and not a corn, a mole, seborrhoeic keratosis, papilloma or another skin lesion.

This article explains wart removal — treatment methods, procedure selection, preparation, healing and aftercare. For more information about the causes, types, contagiousness and prevention of warts, see the related article: Warts.

Summary of wart removal

Wart removal may be needed if a wart is painful, spreading, bleeding after trauma, interfering with walking, located on the face, foot or near a nail, or if there is uncertainty about whether the lesion is truly a wart. Before the procedure, a dermatologist examines the lesion and chooses the most suitable treatment method — cryotherapy, laser treatment, topical treatment, electrocoagulation, curettage or another approach.

Warts do not always disappear after one procedure, and the result depends on the type, depth and location of the wart, the patient’s immune response and individual skin healing. Correct diagnosis, realistic expectations and proper aftercare are just as important as the procedure itself.

When should warts be treated or removed?

Not all warts need to be removed. Some warts, especially in children and young people, may disappear over time when the immune system suppresses the activity of the virus. However, waiting is not always the best option. It is advisable to show the wart to a dermatologist and consider treatment if it causes pain, spreads or is located in an area where it is regularly injured.

Wart removal is more often needed if:

• the wart is painful, itchy, bleeding or frequently injured;
• the wart interferes with walking, sport, work or wearing shoes;
• the wart is located on the foot, near a nail, under a nail, on the face or in another sensitive area;
• there are several warts or new warts appear on other parts of the body;
• the lesion grows quickly or changes colour or shape;
• the patient is not sure whether the lesion is truly a wart;
• the wart causes significant cosmetic discomfort;
• over-the-counter treatments have not helped;
• the patient has diabetes, impaired blood circulation in the feet, immunosuppression or another condition where self-treatment may be risky.

Special care is needed with lesions on the face, near the nails, on the feet and in the genital area. Incorrect self-treatment in these areas may cause scarring, pigmentation changes, infection or delay the diagnosis of another skin condition.

Do all warts need to be removed?

No, not all warts must be removed. If a wart is small, painless, does not interfere with daily life, does not spread and looks typical, a doctor may sometimes recommend observation. This is especially possible in children, as childhood warts often disappear on their own.

However, observation is not suitable for everyone. If a wart is located on the foot and causes pain when walking, treatment may be needed because pressure and friction constantly irritate the tissue. If the wart is near or under a nail, it may interfere with nail growth and be harder to treat. If the lesion is on the face, it should not be treated with caustic or aggressive products at home because the risk of scarring and pigmentation changes is higher.

In practice, the decision to treat a wart is not based only on the fact that “it is a wart”. Its location, duration, growth, symptoms, number of lesions, the patient’s age and general health are also important.

Why is a dermatologist’s examination important before wart removal?

Before removing a wart, the dermatologist needs to confirm that the lesion is indeed a wart. Patients cannot always determine this reliably on their own. On the feet, warts are often confused with corns, while on the body they may resemble papillomas, moles, seborrhoeic keratoses or other skin lesions.

A dermatologist’s examination is important because treatment differs depending on the type of lesion. If a corn is mistakenly treated as a wart, the problem may not resolve because the underlying pressure or friction remains. If a suspicious skin lesion is mistakenly treated as a wart, diagnosis of a more serious condition may be delayed.

It is especially important to consult a dermatologist if the lesion:

• is new and growing quickly;
• bleeds without clear trauma;
• ulcerates or forms a non-healing crust;
• changes colour, shape or borders;
• is significantly painful;
• is located on the face, near a nail, under a nail, on the foot or in the genital area;
• looks atypical;
• the patient has diabetes, impaired blood circulation in the feet or weakened immunity.

How to tell a wart from a corn, mole or another skin lesion?

A wart is a virus-related skin lesion. A corn is a thickened area of skin caused by pressure and friction. Both can occur on the foot and both can be painful, so patients often find them difficult to distinguish.

A plantar wart more often has a rough surface, small dark dots and pain when the lesion is squeezed from the sides. A corn usually hurts more when pressure is applied directly from above, and it is often located in an area where footwear or foot biomechanics create constant pressure. However, these signs are not absolute. A specialist examination is needed for reliable distinction.

Moles, seborrhoeic keratoses, papillomas and other skin lesions may also be skin-coloured, brownish, raised or rough. Therefore, not every rough or raised lesion should be assumed to be a wart. If a lesion changes, bleeds, grows, becomes painful or is unclear, it should be checked by a dermatologist.

Dark dots in a wart and the myth of “roots”

Patients often think that the dark dots in a wart are “roots”. In reality, these dark dots are usually tiny thrombosed blood vessels. They are not wart roots.

Warts are not tumours with roots. They develop in the upper layer of the skin. On the foot, a wart can seem deep because body weight pushes it into thickened skin. This can create the impression that the wart is “growing inward” or has deep roots that must be cut out. In fact, the goal of treatment is to remove or destroy the wart tissue affected by the virus and reduce the risk of recurrence, not to mechanically “pull out a root”.

How are warts diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually starts with a dermatologist’s examination. The doctor assesses the appearance, location, surface, size and number of lesions, as well as the patient’s symptoms and previous treatments. Sometimes the diagnosis is clear from visual examination alone.

In unclear cases, dermoscopy may be used. Dermoscopy is an examination of a skin lesion with a special magnifying device that allows the doctor to better assess surface structures, blood vessel patterns and other features. It can help distinguish a wart from a corn, mole, keratosis or another lesion.

If a lesion is atypical, ulcerated, bleeding, changing quickly or raises suspicion of another diagnosis, the doctor may recommend further examination or histological testing. This does not mean that every wart is dangerous, but it does mean that suspicious lesions should not be treated casually.

Wart removal methods

The method of wart removal is chosen individually. There is no single method that is best for every patient and every wart. The doctor considers the wart type, location, size, depth, number of lesions, the patient’s age, general health, pain sensitivity, risk of scarring and previous treatment.

Common treatment options include:

• observation;
• topical treatments, such as salicylic acid preparations;
• cryotherapy or freezing;
• laser treatment;
• electrocoagulation;
• curettage;
• surgical removal;
• combined treatment.

Sometimes one method is enough, while in other cases repeated or combined treatment is needed. This is especially true for plantar warts, warts near the nails, multiple warts or long-standing warts.

Comparison of wart removal methods

Wart freezing or cryotherapy

Wart freezing, or cryotherapy, is one of the most commonly used methods for wart treatment. During the procedure, the wart is treated with a very low temperature, most often with liquid nitrogen. The cold damages the wart tissue, and the body gradually breaks it down during the healing process.

Cryotherapy can be used for common warts, plantar warts, flat warts and, in some cases, other types of warts. It is performed in a doctor’s office. The patient is usually awake during the procedure and can often return to daily activities afterwards, following the doctor’s instructions.

During the procedure, the patient may feel freezing, burning, stinging or pressure. After the procedure, the treated area may become red, tender or swollen. A blister, crust or small wound may form. This is often part of the expected healing process, but the patient needs to know how to care for the skin properly and when to contact a doctor.

Freezing does not always mean that the wart will disappear after one treatment. Small, superficial warts may sometimes respond to one treatment, but larger, deeper, long-standing and plantar warts often need several procedures.

Laser wart removal

Laser wart removal is a method that may be used in selected cases, especially when the wart is difficult to treat, recurrent, deeper or located in a challenging area. Laser energy is directed at the wart tissue or the blood vessels supplying it, helping to destroy the affected tissue.

Laser treatment is not automatically the best method for all warts. Its suitability depends on the type and location of the wart, the patient’s general health, skin healing characteristics and risk of scarring. In some cases, cryotherapy or topical treatment may be more appropriate; in others, laser treatment or combined therapy may be considered.

One advantage of laser treatment is targeted action on the specific lesion. However, tenderness, crusting, healing time and the risk of scarring or pigmentation changes may still occur. Therefore, the method should be selected after a medical examination, not only because the patient wants the wart “removed by laser”.

Electrocoagulation or wart cautery

Electrocoagulation is a method in which wart tissue is treated with electrical energy, creating controlled tissue damage. In everyday language, this method may be called “burning”, but this does not mean that a similar action should ever be attempted at home.

Medical electrocoagulation is performed in controlled conditions using appropriate equipment, sterility and medical assessment. It may be suitable for certain warts, but it is not a universal option for all cases. A crust may form after the procedure, and proper aftercare is important during healing.

Electrocoagulation is assessed particularly carefully in visible areas because there is a risk of scarring or pigmentation changes. Patients should not try to burn a wart at home with acids, hot objects, fire, household chemicals or other unsuitable products.

Wart curettage

Curettage is mechanical removal of wart tissue using a medical instrument. It may be used in selected cases or combined with other methods. For example, the doctor may mechanically reduce thickened tissue so that another treatment method can work more effectively.

Curettage is not suitable for all warts. The choice of method depends on the location, depth, pain, bleeding risk and risk of scarring. On the feet and near the nails, the doctor carefully assesses how aggressive the treatment should be.

Surgical wart removal

Surgical removal is not the first choice for all common warts because cutting may carry a higher risk of scarring. However, it may be necessary in selected cases, for example if the lesion is atypical, histological examination is needed, or other methods are unsuitable.

In surgical removal, accurate diagnosis is especially important. If the doctor recommends removing the lesion and sending it for histological examination, this is usually done to confirm the nature of the lesion.

Patients should understand that surgical removal is not automatically a “stronger and always better” method. In some cases, a less invasive treatment may be safer and cosmetically gentler.

Topical treatments and salicylic acid

Some small and typical warts may respond to topical treatments, such as salicylic acid preparations. Salicylic acid gradually softens and breaks down the thickened upper layer of skin over the wart. This type of treatment usually requires patience and regular use according to the instructions of the specific product.

It is important to understand that over-the-counter treatments are not suitable for everyone. They should not be used on the face, in the genital area, on bleeding or ulcerated lesions, on unclear skin lesions, in children without medical or pharmacist advice, or in people with diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation in the feet without consulting a doctor.

Topical treatments may be part of treatment, but they do not replace a dermatologist’s examination if the lesion is atypical, painful, changing quickly or located in a higher-risk area.

Wart removal at home — when is it risky?

Home wart removal often seems tempting because pharmacies offer various products and the internet contains many tips. However, the greatest risk is misdiagnosis. A patient may treat a lesion as a wart when it is actually a corn, mole, keratosis, papilloma or another skin lesion.

It is especially risky to cut, burn, tie off, pick, peel or treat a wart with household chemicals or unknown products. This may cause bleeding, infection, scarring, pigmentation changes and spread of the virus to other areas of skin.

Self-treatment is not suitable if the lesion is on the face, in the genital area, near a nail, under a nail, on the foot of a person with diabetes or circulation problems, or if the lesion is bleeding, ulcerated, growing quickly, changing colour or unclear.

Over-the-counter treatments may be considered only for small, typical warts and only according to the instructions. If there is no improvement, the wart is painful, it spreads, or there is uncertainty about the diagnosis, a dermatologist should be consulted.

Which wart removal method is most suitable?

The most suitable method is determined by the doctor. The choice is not based only on which method seems “more modern” or “faster”. Sometimes a small wart may be treated with topical therapy, while in other cases cryotherapy is more suitable. Recurrent or difficult warts may require laser treatment, electrocoagulation, curettage or a combined approach.

The choice of method depends on:

• the location of the wart;
• the size and depth of the wart;
• the number of warts;
• how long the wart has been present;
• whether the wart has been treated before;
• the patient’s age;
• pain sensitivity;
• the risk of scarring and pigmentation changes;
• skin type and healing characteristics;
• co-existing medical conditions;
• the patient’s daily needs, such as work, sport and pressure on the feet.

On the face, neck and other visible areas, the doctor pays particular attention to the cosmetic result. On the feet, reducing pain and pressure is important. Near the nails, nail growth and the risk of nail damage must be considered.

What should patients know before the procedure?

The aim of wart removal is to remove the visible lesion as safely and gently as possible. However, no method can guarantee that the wart will never recur or that there will be no visible trace on the skin in every case. The risk of scarring, pigmentation changes and recurrence depends on the depth and location of the wart, the method used, the patient’s skin healing and aftercare.

Before the procedure, patients should know that:

• the wart may not disappear after one procedure;
• a blister may form after cryotherapy;
• a crust may form after laser treatment or electrocoagulation;
• plantar warts may remain tender when walking after treatment;
• the risk of scarring is usually lower when the method is chosen by a doctor and aftercare is followed, but it cannot be completely excluded;
• warts may recur;
• treatment may be gradual, especially for plantar warts and warts near the nails.

This explanation helps avoid unrealistic expectations and helps the patient understand why dermatological treatment is sometimes not a single quick manipulation, but a considered treatment process.

How is wart removal done step by step?

The wart removal process may vary depending on the method, but the general sequence is usually similar.

First, the doctor examines the lesion and discusses the patient’s symptoms. It is important to say how long the wart has been present, whether it is changing, painful or bleeding, and whether home or pharmacy treatments have been tried. The patient should also mention diabetes, circulation problems, immunosuppression, pregnancy, allergies and medicines that may affect the procedure or healing.

If the lesion is unclear, the doctor may perform dermoscopy. The treatment method is then selected. In some cases, the procedure can be performed immediately; in others, the doctor may recommend preparation, topical treatment, a follow-up visit or further examination.

During the procedure, the wart is treated using the selected method. Depending on the method, the patient may feel freezing, burning, pressure, stinging or brief pain. After the procedure, the doctor explains what to expect during healing and how to care for the treated area.

If repeat procedures are needed, the doctor will schedule a follow-up or next treatment visit.

Does wart removal hurt?

Sensations during the procedure vary from person to person. During wart freezing, patients often feel freezing, burning or stinging. During laser treatment or electrocoagulation, the sensations depend on the method, treatment depth and whether local anaesthesia is needed. The feet, fingers, nail area and other sensitive areas may be more painful.

It is not correct to promise that wart removal is always completely painless. At the same time, the procedure is usually short, and the doctor can adapt the approach to the patient’s sensitivity, the wart’s location and the treatment goal.

For several days after the procedure, there may be tenderness, pain, pressure, redness or discomfort. If the wart was on the foot, walking may be uncomfortable for a while. If pain worsens, significant swelling, pus, fever or rapidly spreading redness appears, a doctor should be contacted.

How to prepare for wart removal?

Special preparation is not always required, but the visit is more useful if the patient prepares information about the lesion and previous treatment.

Before the visit, it is helpful to remember:

• how long the wart has been present;
• whether it is growing, painful, bleeding or changing;
• whether other warts have appeared;
• which treatments have already been used;
• whether similar warts have occurred before;
• whether the patient has diabetes, circulation problems, immunosuppression or another chronic condition;
• whether the patient takes blood thinners or other important medicines;
• whether there are allergies to medicines or topical products;
• whether the patient is pregnant.

Before the visit, the wart should not be cut, burned, treated with unknown products or mechanically injured. This may complicate diagnosis and increase the risk of infection.

What to do after wart removal?

Aftercare depends on the method used and the procedure site. The doctor’s instructions are always more important than general advice because healing varies depending on the wart’s location, depth and treatment method.

In general, after wart removal it is recommended to:

• keep the treated area clean;
• avoid picking the crust;
• avoid scratching or rubbing the treated area;
• avoid opening a blister yourself if one appears;
• avoid excessive friction or pressure;
• avoid harsh products unless recommended by the doctor;
• follow dressing or wound-care instructions if given;
• watch for signs of infection.

If the procedure site is on the foot, it may be necessary to reduce pressure for a short time, choose more comfortable footwear or avoid activities that put pressure on the treated area. If the wart was on the hand or finger, unnecessary trauma, scratching and prolonged moisture should be avoided because they may interfere with healing.

What is normal after wart freezing?

After wart freezing, the skin may react in different ways. Redness, tenderness, swelling, burning sensation, a blister, a darker crust or a small wound may occur. These changes may be part of the normal healing process.

A blister after freezing does not mean that the procedure was performed incorrectly. It may develop as a result of cold exposure. However, the blister should not be punctured, cut or peeled unless the doctor has given specific instructions.

If severe pain, pus, an unpleasant smell, rapidly increasing redness, heat around the treated area, red streaks on the skin or a raised temperature appear, a doctor should be contacted because these may be signs of infection.

When should a doctor be contacted after the procedure?

A doctor should be contacted if after the procedure:

• pain becomes stronger instead of gradually decreasing;
• pus or significant swelling appears;
• redness around the procedure site spreads quickly;
• the skin becomes hot and very tender;
• an unpleasant smell develops;
• there is fever or feeling unwell;
• the wound does not heal;
• the wart continues to grow or quickly returns;
• the patient has diabetes or circulation problems and healing causes concern.

It is better to contact a doctor early than to wait if the healing process seems unusual.

How long does the skin take to heal after wart removal?

Healing time depends on the treatment method, wart size, depth, location and the patient’s skin healing characteristics. Superficial procedures usually heal faster, while deeper plantar warts, warts near the nails or larger lesions may take longer to heal.

After the procedure, there may be redness, tenderness, a blister, crust or small wound. During healing, it is important not to pick the crust, not to injure the area and not to use unsuitable products. Healing on the foot may be slower because body weight and friction constantly affect the area.

An exact healing time cannot be guaranteed for every patient. The doctor can best estimate this after assessing the specific wart and treatment method.

Will wart removal leave a scar?

Any procedure that damages the skin may theoretically leave a scar or pigmentation change. The risk depends on the wart’s depth, the method used, the treatment site, skin type, individual healing and aftercare.

The risk of scarring may be higher if the wart is deep, long-standing, located on the foot or near a nail, frequently injured, inflamed, or if the patient has previously cut, burned or chemically treated it at home. In visible areas such as the face and neck, the method must be selected especially carefully.

Therefore, it is not correct to promise that a scar will never remain. The correct approach is to choose the most suitable method, follow aftercare instructions and contact a doctor if healing does not progress as expected.

Why can warts come back?

Warts may recur because treatment removes the visible lesion, while HPV or virus-affected cells may remain in the surrounding skin. This does not necessarily mean that the procedure was performed incorrectly. Recurrence is possible in wart treatment, especially in more difficult locations.

The risk of recurrence is higher if:

• there are multiple warts;
• the wart has been present for a long time;
• the wart is on the foot;
• the wart is near or under a nail;
• the patient often injures the wart;
• immunity is weakened;
• there are skin microtraumas;
• prevention measures are not followed;
• the treatment course is not completed.

The risk of recurrence can be reduced by not scratching or picking warts, not sharing towels or shoes, wearing flip-flops in communal showers, not sharing nail-care tools and treating painful or spreading warts in time.

Plantar wart removal

Plantar warts are often more difficult to treat than warts on the hands. The skin on the sole is thicker, and body weight constantly presses on the wart. This can make the wart seem “deep”, although it actually develops in the upper layer of the skin and is pushed into thickened skin by pressure.

Plantar warts may hurt when walking, running or standing for long periods. They are often confused with corns. Before treatment, it is important to determine whether the painful thickening is truly a wart, because corn treatment also requires addressing the underlying pressure and friction.

Plantar warts may be treated with topical treatments, cryotherapy, laser treatment, curettage or a combined approach. Several visits are often needed. Patients should know that treatment may require patience because daily pressure on the foot can affect healing and discomfort after the procedure.

After plantar wart removal, walking may be uncomfortable for a while, especially if the treated area is on the heel, forefoot or another weight-bearing area. The doctor may advise how to reduce friction or pressure temporarily so that healing is not disturbed.

Special caution is needed for people with diabetes, reduced sensation in the feet or poor circulation. In these cases, self-treatment with caustic products or mechanical cutting may be dangerous.

Wart removal in children

Warts are common in children. Some childhood warts may disappear on their own, so aggressive treatment is not always needed. However, treatment should be considered if the wart is painful, spreading, interfering with walking, located on the face, near a nail or on the foot, bleeding or causing significant distress.

In children, a gentle approach is important. The doctor considers the child’s age, wart location, pain sensitivity, ability to cooperate during the procedure and ability to follow aftercare instructions. Sometimes observation or topical treatments are suitable; in other cases, cryotherapy or another method may be used.

Children should not use aggressive pharmacy or home treatments without advice from a doctor or pharmacist. This is especially important for the face, fingers, nails, feet and unclear lesions. If a wart causes pain or spreads quickly in a child, a consultation with a children’s dermatologist is recommended.

Warts near or under the nail

Warts near or under the nail edge are called periungual or subungual warts. They may be harder to treat because they are located in a sensitive area and can affect nail growth. These warts are more common in people who bite their nails, injure the skin around the nails or often pick at the cuticles.

Warts near the nails should not be cut or burned at home. Incorrect treatment may damage the nail fold, cause infection, pain or nail deformity. The treatment method should be chosen by a dermatologist, taking into account the wart’s depth, location and risk to the nail.

If the wart is under the nail edge, treatment may be gradual. The aim is to remove or reduce wart tissue while protecting the nail structures as much as possible.

Warts on the face — why self-treatment should be avoided

Skin lesions on the face should not be treated at home with caustic products, burning, freezing or cutting. Facial skin is visible and sensitive, and incorrect treatment may cause scarring, pigmentation changes or long-lasting irritation. In addition, not every facial lesion is a wart.

If a lesion on the face grows, changes, bleeds or is unclear, it should be examined by a dermatologist. The doctor can determine whether it is a wart, papilloma, keratosis, mole or another skin change and choose the most suitable treatment.

Wart removal during pregnancy

During pregnancy, treatment of any skin lesion should be assessed individually. If the wart does not interfere, is not painful, does not bleed and is not in a higher-risk area, the doctor may recommend waiting. If the wart is painful, growing quickly, bleeding, frequently injured or causing functional discomfort, the dermatologist will assess the safest approach.

Pregnant patients should not use caustic or aggressive products without medical advice. This is especially important for lesions on the face, in the genital area, near the nails, on the feet or for unclear skin lesions.

Wart removal cost and what it depends on

The cost of wart removal may vary because it does not depend only on the name of one procedure. The price is influenced by the need for consultation, the number of warts, their size, location and depth, the chosen method, the need for diagnosis and whether repeat procedures will be needed.

The price may also differ depending on whether one small wart, several warts, a plantar wart, a wart near a nail or an unclear lesion requiring dermoscopy needs to be assessed. If the wart is long-standing, deep or recurrent, the treatment plan may require several visits.

The exact price is best checked in the current Medart price list or clarified when booking an appointment. If the patient is not sure whether the lesion is a wart, the most important first step is a dermatologist’s examination, not only comparing procedure prices.

When should a wart not be removed at home?

A wart should not be cut, burned, tied off, picked, peeled or treated with unsuitable products at home. It is especially important to consult a dermatologist before treatment if the lesion is on the face, near a nail, under a nail, on the foot, in the genital area, bleeding, ulcerated, growing quickly, changing colour or unclear.

Self-treatment in these cases may cause infection, scarring, pigmentation changes or delay the diagnosis of another skin disease.

What should not be done to warts?

Warts should not be cut, picked, burned, tied off, chemically treated with unsuitable products or repeatedly injured. These actions may cause bleeding, infection, scarring, spread of the virus and delay of the correct diagnosis.

Avoid:

• cutting a wart with scissors, a knife or a razor blade;
• burning a wart with fire, hot metal or household chemicals;
• using unknown caustic products;
• tying a wart with thread;
• picking crusts or blisters after the procedure;
• shaving directly over the wart;
• using the same nail-care tools on the wart and healthy skin;
• using over-the-counter treatments on the face, genital area or unclear lesions without medical assessment.

If the lesion is unclear, the best first step is a dermatologist’s examination.

Can you exercise, swim or use a sauna after wart removal?

After wart removal, activities should be adapted to the procedure site and healing process. If there is a wound, blister or crust, swimming pools, saunas and communal showers are usually best avoided until healing, or used only according to the doctor’s instructions. This helps reduce the risk of infection and viral spread.

If the wart was removed from the foot, intensive sport, running or prolonged pressure may worsen pain and interfere with healing. If the wart was removed from the hand or finger, activities that injure or keep the area wet for a long time should be avoided.

Return to sport and swimming should be assessed individually. The main principle is that the procedure site should heal calmly, without excessive friction, moisture, pressure or infection risk.

How to reduce the risk of recurrence and spreading?

Wart treatment helps remove the visible lesion, while prevention helps reduce viral transmission and recurrence. HPV can spread through small breaks in the skin, so it is important to protect the skin and avoid transferring the virus to other areas.

To reduce the risk of spread:

• do not scratch or pick warts;
• wash your hands after touching a wart;
• do not share towels, shoes or nail-care tools;
• wear flip-flops in communal showers, pools and changing rooms;
• do not walk barefoot in shared wet areas;
• avoid injuring the skin around the nails and do not bite nails;
• do not shave directly over warts;
• keep the feet dry;
• if the wart is in an area of friction, discuss with the doctor how to protect it;
• treat painful or spreading warts in time.

It is important to understand that one wart does not mean a serious immune disorder. However, if warts are very widespread, recur often or respond poorly to treatment, the doctor may assess additional risk factors.

Medical disclaimer

The information provided is for informational and educational purposes only; it does not replace a dermatologist’s consultation, diagnosis or treatment. If a person notices a new, changing, bleeding, painful, ulcerated or otherwise suspicious skin lesion, or if there is uncertainty about whether the lesion is truly a wart, they should consult a dermatologist or the Medart clinic specialists listed below the article. Suspicious skin lesions should not be removed, burned, cut, tied off, injured or treated with unsuitable products at home.

References and authoritative sources

• American Academy of Dermatology Association: wart diagnosis and treatment by a dermatologist
• DermNet: viral warts, symptoms, types and treatment options
• NHS: warts and verrucas, self-care and treatment
• Mayo Clinic: common warts, diagnosis and treatment
• Mayo Clinic: plantar warts, diagnosis and treatment
• Clinical guideline: diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous warts

Content author

Dermatologist Dr. med. Dace Buile