General and Pediatric Dermatology

Warts

Warts are common and affect up to 10% of people all over the world. Though benign, warts are highly contagious and affect the look of your skin. At Downtown Dermatology in Orlando, Florida, Ronald Knipe, MD, and Samantha Marrone, MD, specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of warts. To schedule a consultation to discuss treatment options for warts, call the office today.

What are warts?

Warts are benign skin growths caused by various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

They’re very contagious and spread through direct or indirect contact. This means you contract and spread warts when you come in direct contact with them or touch an object (bare feet through your gym locker room) that had contact with the virus that causes warts.

What are the types of warts?

There are many types of warts that may appear on specific parts of your body or have a unique look:

Common warts

Common warts are rough, bumpy skin growths that may have a small black dot (wart seed) in the center. These warts often develop on the fingers, hands, or face.

Plantar warts

Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet. These warts grow inward and may feel like you’re walking with a pebble in your shoe.

Plantar warts may grow in clusters.

Flat warts

Flat warts are small, smooth warts that most often affect the face or legs. These warts grow in large numbers, and you can have up to 100 flat warts at a time.

Filiform warts

Filiform warts are threadlike growths. These types of warts grow around the mouth, eyes, or nose.

What happens during an evaluation for warts?

The skin care experts at Downtown Dermatology specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of warts. When you come in for an evaluation, your provider reviews your medical history and examines the skin growths.

In most cases, your provider diagnoses your warts, including type, during the visual examination. However, they may take a sample of your wart and send it to the lab to confirm a diagnosis.

How are warts treated?

Downtown Dermatology offers many effective treatment options for warts. The best treatment for you depends on wart type, age, and overall health.

Wart treatment options include:

Cantharidin

Cantharidin is a medication that causes a blister to form underneath the wart. The blister cuts off blood supply, and your provider removes the wart a week after they apply the medication.

Cryotherapy

During cryotherapy, your provider freezes warts off. Cryotherapy causes little to no pain and is the most common treatment for warts, especially in children.

Electrosurgery and curettage

For common warts, filiform warts, or plantar warts, Downtown Dermatology may recommend electrosurgery and curettage. During the in-office procedure, your provider burns off (electrosurgery) the wart and then scoops it out (curettage).

Excision

During an excision, your provider uses a scalpel to remove the wart.

Your provider can remove all visible warts. However, new warts may grow after the fact.

For expert wart care, call Downtown Dermatology today.