Warts are rough skin growths that appear when a particular virus infects the top layer of the skin. Warts are contagious and can spread quickly from person to person or from one part of the body to another. But don’t worry, princesses, warts cannot actually be spread by kissing frogs!
There are many self-treatment plans to cure yourself of warts, but even with all the options you should see your dermatologist if:
- You are suspicious that the growth is not a wart
- The wart is on your face or your genitals
- If you have a cluster or many warts over your body
- The warts hurt, itch, burn, or bleed
- You have a weakened immune system
- If you have diabetes
At Home Treatments
- Salicylic acid – this is an over the counter medication that comes in multiple forms to apply directly to the wart.
- Cover the wart with duct tape for a few days at a time, washing and reapplying new tape.
- Grind up a few Vitamin C tablets and mix with just enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste to the wart.
- Apply a cotton ball soaked in vinegar for about two hours daily.
- Cover the wart in freshly crushed garlic then wrap in a bandage.
You can find countless other remedies online, but the most important thing to focus on is preventions. If you get a wart, do not pick or scratch at them. The infection in the dead skin cells can spread to other parts of the body triggering new wart growth. Because the infection is contagious, be sure to wear flip-flops or pool shoes in public showers, locker rooms, and pool areas. Do not touch someone’s wart. If you are around someone with warts, be sure to wash your hands regularly.
The best thing to remember is that warts are a common skin condition. They can be easy to prevent, but just as easy to treat if you get one. Call or stop by Contour Dermatology if you have any questions concerning a wart or growth you find on your skin.
