These are some treatments that can be prescribed by your dermatologist:

- Keratolysis, removal of dead surface skin cells usually using salicylic acid, blistering agents, immunomodulators, or formaldehyde, often with mechanical peel of the wart.

- Cryosurgery, which involves freezing the wart (with liquid nitrogen), creating a blister between the wart and epidermal layer, after which the wart falls off.

- Surgical curettage.

- Laser treatment using vascular laser (example: Dye Laser).

- Imiquimod, a topical cream that helps the body’s immune system fight the wart virus.

- Cantharidin, it can causes dermal blistering.

The wart can regrows after the skin has healed.

Your dermatologist can prescribe topical treatments containing salicylic acid to mantain the treatment at home.

I do not recomend you to use any medication without medical advice.

Best wishes from Brazil!
Dr. Érica Monteiro - Cosmetic Dermatologist
www.dermatologia.com.br

Warts are noncancerous skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Many different types of HPV exist that can cause warts. Warts are usually pink to flesh-colored and have a rough texture, but some have a dark color and a smooth feel.

Warts are contagious, but most only pose a very low risk of being passed to another person through direct or indirect contact.

Most warts pose no significant health risks and will disappear within a year or two of first appearing. However, because warts can be unsightly – and in the case of genital warts, may pose significant health risks – some patients may choose to treat them with medications or chemicals, or to have them surgically removed. However, it is not uncommon for warts to recur even after they’ve been treated effectively.

There are several different major categories of warts. The type of HPV a person contracts will determine the type of wart that develops. More than 100 HPV viruses have been identified. These viruses stimulate the rapid growth of cells on the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), causing the formation of warts on the skin and mucous membranes.

We can identify diferents categories of warts:

- Common warts: Typically appear on the fingers, especially in areas where skin has been broken around the nails and on the back of the hand.

- Plantar warts: they appear on the soles of the feet at pressure points (such as the balls and heels of the feet).

- Flat warts: smooth warts that typically grow in large groups more than 20 at a time, most commonly on the face of children and in areas irritated by shaving in adults.

- Genital warts: irregular, bumpy growths with the texture of a small cauliflower that can be transmitted through sexual contact or contaminated things. Beware, some types may cause abnormalities that can lead to genital cancer.

In WARTS part II you will learn more…

Best wishes from Brazil!

Dr. Érica Monteiro - Cosmetic Dermatologist
www.dermatologia.com.br