Wart Removal
Skin Conditions
Contour Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Center has all the options you need, to solve your wart problems. Warts come in a variety of forms. Thankfully, we have a variety of treatments!
Wart Removal
Skin Conditions
Contour Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Center has all the options you need, to solve your wart problems. Warts come in a variety of forms. Thankfully, we have a variety of treatments!
What are Warts?
Warts, or “verruca” as they are called in the medical community, are small skin growths, caused by an HPV (human papillomavirus) infection in the top layer of the skin. Warts are not dangerous, but may or may not be painful, depending on their type and location. They can spread rapidly, and are contagious through direct touch, and from touching things that have come in contact with warts. Warts can be very persistent and can begin to reproduce quickly. So, it is important to get treatment, quickly, in order to stop them from spreading on yourself, and to others.
Tyes of Warts
- Common wart – Common warts, as the name suggests, are very common. They often look like rough bumps, and may, or may not have black specks in them. These grow, usually on the hands and face, and around areas that people generally touch, or fidget with.
- Plantar wart – Plantar warts, are usually on the feet, often in small clusters, with black specks, and are commonly uncomfortable.
- Filiform wart – Filiform warts, often seem long, or fibrous, sprout and reproduce quickly, and generally group around the eyes and mouth.
- Flat wart – Flat warts typically grow anywhere, in larger groups, and are usually smaller, and less discolored than other types.
Treatment for Warts
Cryotherapy
Freezes the wart tissue by using liquid nitrogen and subsequently kills it. This method is tried and true, however, two or more treatments may be necessary. Cryotherapy is very fast, relatively free of discomfort, and fairly effective, which makes it a good option.
Electrodesiccation
This method uses a probe, and electrical resistance, to burn away the wart. This treatment is highly effective, safe, and quick. Only mild discomfort is usually experienced, and a numbing solution is often used to mitigate it. Dr. Jochen has experienced a 90% success rate when this treatment is combined with Aldara. Aldara is a topical medication, that was developed for use in the treatment of viral infections in the genital area. Aldara has been proven to be effective against the HPV virus, so it’s great for treating warts in many locations on the body. When a wart is removed through electrodesiccation, Aldara can be later applied, to help ensure that any residual infection, is unable to take new roots.
Watch a Wart Removal Demonstration with Electrodesiccation
Lasers Treatments for Warts
There is a more aggressive option, for the tougher warts, that resist other treatments. With lasers like the VBeam and Excel V, very accurate pulses of high-intensity light, target the wart tissue. The tissue is destroyed, and vessels supplying the tissue are reduced. These lasers are extremely safe, pain-free, fast, and effective. These systems also come with a wonderful side effect; they stimulate collagen production, which promotes new, healthy glowing skin!
A number of other treatments are also available, such as topical medications. These medications are less aggressive and work by killing wart tissue over time. These medications would include Squaric acid and Cantharidin.
We are Wart Removal Sepcialists
All of these options, combined with our professional, knowledgeable medical staff, bring you the very best in wart removal care. Ultimately, coming into Contour Dermatology for a consultation is the best way to find out which treatment suits your needs the most.
We’ve expanded our reach to San Bernardino County residents! Our Loma Linda office is open, and we are scheduling patients for appointments.
Our Medical Assistant, Lee, demonstrates how to dress an open wound using a “Zinc Wrap”. Zinc plays a major role in regulating every phase of wound healing.
