At Houck Dermatology, we provide a wide variety of treatments to address a number of dermatologic issues, including verruca vulgaris, also known as warts.
Warts are usually harmless and typically disappear on their own. However, they can be uncomfortable and cause embarrassment. If you have been trying to treat frustrating warts and are not seeing results, we offer many effective treatment methods.
What Are Warts?
Warts are lesions growing on your body that are:
- Small, grainy, and fleshy
- Flesh-colored, pink, tan, or white
- Rough to the touch
- Dotted with black spots (clotted blood vessels)
What Causes Verruca Vulgaris?
Warts are often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus is common and has multiple types. Only certain warts on your hands are caused by HPV.
Most forms of warts spread from skin contact or through shared objects. The virus infiltrates through breaks in the skin such as a scrape or a large unprotected cut. Some strains of the virus are contracted from sexual contact. Warts can appear two to six months after exposure and then continue to develop.
Everybody’s immune system can respond to HPV differently, so this does not always lead to warts. Additionally, not everyone who makes contact with someone who has warts contracts them.
Who Is at Risk of Developing Verruca Vulgaris?
People who have a higher risk of contracting warts are:
- Children and young adults (due to their bodies not having immunity to different viruses)
- People with weakened immune systems (for example, someone who has had an organ transplant)
Wart-Removal Methods
In many cases, patients attempt a number of wart-removal treatments at home before considering in-office treatment. These can include salicylic acid (in the form of a patch, gel, or liquid) and at-home freezing sprays. These methods often need to be repeated over the course of several weeks or sometimes months.
If you have tried to remove the wart at home but it keeps spreading and recurring over time, it may be necessary to arrange a consultation at Houck Dermatology for in-office wart removal. Schedule a visit if you:
- See that the wart is starting to cause pain and has changed in color
- Feel like the wart is getting in the way of your day-to-day activities
- See numerous warts beginning to appear, which may be a sign of your immune system reacting
We can perform a number of wart-removal treatment methods:
- Cryotherapy freezes the cells of the wart using a controlled and precise application of liquid nitrogen. Once the temperature is lowered, a blister is formed. After a time, part or all of the wart will peel off along with the blister. Multiple sessions may be needed.
- Electrocauterization is a way to burn off the cells of the wart using intense heat created by electric current. A small heated instrument is held against the wart until the burning of the cells is complete.
- Topical therapy involves using a cream that is applied to the affected areas on the skin over a few weeks.
Other methods may also be available depending on the recommendation of our medical professionals and the severity of your condition.
Setting Up Your Consultation
If you are interested in getting verruca vulgaris treatment, contact Houck Dermatology and schedule an appointment for a wart-removal consultation.