Warts develop as a result of a virus under the skin. Unfortunately, the virus is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and can be passed to almost anyone. Individuals with dry, cracked skin are more susceptible to contracting the virus.
Treatment for Warts
Warts are commonly treated by applying a salicylic acid topical ointment or by scraping away the top layers of the wart and then freezing the root of the wart with dry ice. The latter treatment is slightly more painful and requires multiple visits to a dermatologist.
Warts are very difficult to treat and may never disappear completely. Treatment may be long-term and focus on maintenance rather than destroying the virus; this is particularly the case when multiple dermatologist visits have not achieved the results the patient desires. This is because killing the wart virus is very difficult and spreads without warning to other places in the body.
When It’s Time to Visit a Dermatologist
It is time to visit a dermatologist about warts when over-the-counter treatment fails or you are unable to keep up with newly developed warts. Over-the-counter wart treatments often come in the form of salicylic acid patches that are intended to be worn over long periods of time. However, a patient with one or two small warts will see the best results from these medicines.
Larger warts, warts that are impossible to stop from developing, or an inability to remove a wart with over-the-counter medicines are indications that it is time to see a dermatologist. A dermatologist will be able to use stronger medicines to treat warts, making it more likely that warts will disappear under their treatment.
It is also time to see a dermatologist if your body is rapidly developing multiple warts on your body. This may be an indication of other serious skin disorders that warrant medical attention.
