Wart Treatment- Common Healing Options

Warts are small swollen growths that occur on the skin and are caused by an infection of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This viral infection is contagious and easily transmitted if there is broken skin that comes in contact with an infected person or a contaminated surface. They most frequently occur on the hands, feet and face. Due to their tendency to reappear in the same area, the infection can last anywhere from a few months to several years.

How to get rid of warts

•Salicylic Acid

Common skin warts can be effectively treated with over-the-counter medication containing salicylic acid. It works by dissolving the keratin and dead skin that makes up the wart infection. It is applied topically using pads, gels or plaster. Despite being an acid, this wart treatment does not cause adverse effects on the skin. At worst, the skin reddens and stings slightly. In case of such inflammation, just avoid using it on the irritated areas. Avoid using it on facial warts as the skin is generally more sensitive and likely to draw more attention than intended.

Most people respond quickly to treatment while other infections may require months or even years of continued treatment. They can also react fast to the application of the medication in one area and have it spring up just as quickly elsewhere on the body.

•Freezing

There are over the counter aerosol treatments you can try. They freeze warts at a temperature of -57C. A doctor however can offer freezing treatment, by with liquid nitrogen, which will go as low as -196C. This treatment is usually done in the doctors’ office.

With just small infections, wart treatment can be done within fifteen minutes resulting in a blister, and then a scab that clears up within a couple of week. For large infections the patient may require several sessions. This wart treatment can be quite painful hence is not often allowed for young children. Because it is effective and leaves little irritation, it is a preferred method of treatment for infections on the face.

•Duct Tape

This is an old school method of how to get rid of warts. The theory is that suffocating the wart will lead to its eventual demise. It is however difficult to follow through on, as it requires constant covering of the wart with duct tape for weeks on end, with just a weekly appointment for scrubbing with a pumice stone. There is also the argument that the wart is made u mostly of dead skin anyway so suffocating it doesn’t really help.

•Surgery

This is a wart treatment of last resort. If the wart has grown large and proven unresponsive to less aggressive treatment, surgery can be an option. It can be done through surgical removal or laser surgery done under local anesthetic. This is however not a cure as once the removal is done; the viral infection can recur on the same spot or elsewhere. This method of how to get rid of warts also carries the risk of scarring.

Steve Mark - About Author:
Go to Aboutwart for more information on wart treatment and many available treatment options. Take advantage of this free aboutwart information and check out detailed reviews of some of the most popular and effective treatment options. Go to the website today and exercise your right to be informed.

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