Warts are small, round, rough growths that occur on the skin. They are caused by the human papillomavirus, a virus comprising more than 130 known types. Warts are benign (not cancerous). They can be irritating and uncomfortable, and those who have warts may find them embarrassing and unsightly. Viruses that cause warts can occur anywhere on the body, but hands and feet tend to be the most common sites. Wart viruses are contagious, and cuts or damage to the skin can heighten the chance of contracting a wart virus. Some of the most common types of warts include common warts, foot warts (also known as plantar warts), and flat warts. Although anyone can get warts, those most prone to a wart virus include children, teens, people who pick or bite their nails, and people with a weakened immune system. Warts can spread to other parts of the body and from person to person.
Although there are various over-the-counter wart remedies, many are less effective on larger warts, and it can be difficult to keep topical medication applied to the hands and feet. Furthermore, those who elect to self-treat warts could mistake another type of skin growth for a wart, and some skin cancers are easily mistaken for warts. Freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen can be effective, but this method can also cause blisters and damage the surrounding skin. Multiple treatments may be required, as the deep root of the wart must be killed.
At DermaHealth in Springfield, we strive to remove the wart while leaving the integrity of the skin. We accomplish this by injecting the wart with an antigen. The wart virus tends to “hide” from the body, so the body’s immune system doesn’t recognize and attack the wart. By injecting the wart with a known antigen, the immune system learns to recognize the wart virus and actively works to get rid of it, working from the inside and therefore not causing damage to the skin’s surface. This method of treatment not only gets rid of warts, but also is highly effective at building up a long-term immunity to warts. If you have multiple warts, an injection at every site isn’t necessary, as the body will attack and get rid of both the wart(s) injected and all others. Typically, only one injection is needed, but if the warts aren’t gone in six weeks, a second injection may be necessary.
For more information and to see if you are a candidate for our wart removal services, schedule a free consultation with us today.
