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Medical Author:

Alan Rockoff, MD

Alan Rockoff, MD

Dr. Rockoff received his undergraduate degree from Yeshiva College with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His internship and two years of Pediatric residency were at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, followed by training in Dermatology at the combined residency program at Tufts and Boston Universities. Dr. Rockoff is certified by both the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Pediatrics.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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In this Article

• Wart facts
• What are common warts?
• What are some types of common warts?
• What is the treatment for common warts?
• Is using over-the-counter wart treatments safe?
• Are wart treatments effective?
• What if wart removal treatments fail?
• Patient Comments: Warts - Effective Treatments
• Patient Comments: Warts - Experiences
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Warts (Common Warts) Index

Above all, wart treatments require patience. Since there are so many different types of treatments, how effective they are is another matter. Warts can appear and disappear without an identifiable cause and often disappear on their own without treatment. Some warts sprout daughters near the main wart and others don't. Warts are generally painless unless they are present in areas prone to pressure or friction like the palms and soles. Certain warts, even of the same type, respond to treatment, while others (even on the same person at the same time) don't. All treatment methods often require many sessions over weeks, months, or longer to succeed.

Here is a practical approach to the treatment of warts:

1. If you can ignore your warts, do so. Eventually, they'll go away (although eventually can mean a long time -- even months or years).
2. If you have an uncomplicated case (a single wart on the face or one or a few on the hands), see a doctor for a quick freeze or electrical zap. These methods are simple, although somewhat painful, and generally nonscarring.
3. If you have a difficult case, you can start by treating the warts for a few weeks on your own. Examples:

• Plantar warts: Warts on the bottom of the foot feel deep, but they are still within the superficial layer of the skin. Salicylic-acid drops and plasters help remove the thick overlying callus and make the wart feel less like a marble in your shoe. Nonprescription aerosol freezing may be used as well.
• Common hand warts: These are typically unattractive, although not painful. Salicylic acid can make them smaller and go away in some cases, as can nonprescription freezing.

If you have an all-but-impossible case, don't try too hard. You don't want to make the treatment worse than the disease. Examples:

• Warts under and around the nails: These are extremely resistant to treatment. One or two tries by the doctor are worth a shot, but if they fail, putting acid on them yourself just makes them look rough and unattractive.
• "Mosaic" warts: Tiny, so-called "seed warts" can proliferate by the dozens or hundreds all over the sole of the foot. They don't usually hurt, and they rarely respond to any sort of treatment, although in this case, too, one or two tries at treatment may be in order.
• Flat warts: These are small, flat, flesh-colored pimples and may be numerous on one part of the body (for example on the face, arms, or groin). Getting rid of them by a light application of salicylic acid or other method is easy enough, but they have a tendency to recur.