Warts Verrucae

A virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the development of warts. HPV can infect many parts of the body. The most common HPV types infecting the skin are types 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 27, 29, and 57. Some people are naturally more resistant to HPV infections than others.

Sadly, yes, warts can pass from one person to another through physical contact. Even inadvertently using objects by an individual with warts can potentially cause warts. One also can acquire wart through unprotected sexual intercourse. Therefore, if your sexual partner has warts, you should protect yourself during intercourse. In woman, warts may grow on the cervix without her knowledge, resulting in her passing them to her partner.

The answer really depends. Some warts disappear over time while others take months or years. On the other hand, some will not go away and will require treatment. It is unclear why some warts will disappear while others do not. Warts can become bothersome as they can:

• Bleed
• Become painful
• Cause embarrassment
• Spread to others

• Liquid Nitrogen (Freezing or Cryotherapy) – involves applying a very cold spray to the lesion. The treatment can be painful, and a blister will form in treated area. The blister can be popped with a sterile needle and covered with a dry bandage. You can resume normal activity; it is fine to get the area wet. It generally takes 4-6 treatments for the wart to resolve; treatments are done 2-3 weeks apart.
• Cantharidin – is a vesicant that causes a blister to form on the wart. After a few days the blister dries, and the wart comes off. The medication will be left on for a specified amount of time (your provider will let you know how long), and then it is washed off with soap and water. Applying the medication is not painful, but a blister may form hours or days later. You can resume normal activity; it is fine to get the area wet (after the medication has been washed off). It generally takes more than one treatment for the wart to resolve, treatments are done 3-4 weeks apart. Cantharidin has been used by Pediatric Dermatologists for years to treat various medical conditions but is not FDA-approved.
• Aldara/Zyclara/Imiquimod cream – is a prescription applied by the patient/parent at home three times a week to the affected area. This medication can be used in conjunction with the above treatments. The medication comes in very tiny packets (only a small amount used each time) so the packet can be stored in a zip lock bag for continued use. The medication works by creating an immune response within the body, which helps the body fight the wart virus. Used by itself, it may take several weeks to months for the wart to resolve.
• Laser – (Nd:YAG 1064 nm) – works through monochromatic light of a specific fluence and wavelength. The monochromatic light, absorbed by targeted tissue chromophores, converts to thermal energy which leads to selective tissue destruction. Depending on the pulse duration and energy density, the result may be either coagulation (photothermal effect) or blasting (photomechanical effect) of these structures. The destruction may obliterate the nutrient supply to the wart. Laser treatment was also shown to be effective in the destruction of HPV DNA, which is not achieved in cryotherapy of warts.

Genital warts are treated differently from warts elsewhere on the body. Methods may include liquid nitrogen or laser treatment.

In most cases, treating warts will result in successful removal. However, if a wart comes back, patients are encouraged to return to Aspire Skin Health to discuss alternative methods of treatment.