Seeing the doctor regarding warts is often the first step in finding relief. Certain home remedies may be very effective in fighting warts, but speaking with a healthcare professional about the condition is often a wise choice. Patients should be sure to ask a lot of questions during their appointment and make the most of the time they have with the healthcare professional.
Should You Seek Treatment?
Most warts go away on their own within several months or years, so whether to seek treatment is up to the individual. Many people try home remedies to remove warts, while others turn to certain laser or cryotherapy methods for wart removal.
Wart removal treatments may be very expensive, sometimes costing as much as $650 for cryotherapy treatment. Home remedies are less expensive, but patients are nonetheless encouraged to speak with a healthcare professional if they have any questions about warts. Patients with genital warts should speak with a physician, as the same HPV that causes genital warts may also cause cervical cancer.
Individuals who are over 60 and who have never had warts should see their doctor to check for skin cancer. Patients who are unsure of whether a skin growth is a wart should seek medical help in identifying the growth. If any sign of infection develops, such as fever, increased pain or swelling, redness or pus, patients should seek medical advice. Also, patients with diabetes who have a wart on their leg or foot should speak with their doctor.
Getting Ready for Your Appointment
Before going to an appointment, patients should make a list of questions to ask the doctor or healthcare professional. Common questions include:
• What are my treatment options and which do you recommend?
• Are there any alternative treatments to your recommended treatment?
• Will I get more warts?
• Should I be checked for cervical cancer?
• Will my wart go away on its own?
Forming some specific questions of your own is also helpful.
Other Preparations
The healthcare professional may ask when the wart first appeared and may ask other medical history questions, so gathering this information and recollecting as much as possible about the warts is often helpful.
Individuals with warts may seek treatment from a dermatologist, podiatrist, pediatrician, internist, family doctor, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner. The most important thing to remember before an appointment is to ask a lot of questions and take advantage of the opportunity to collect information about warts and wart removal.
