Warts Diagnosis and Treatment Rick Lin, DO MPH

Warts Warts Diagnosis and TreatmentDiagnosis and Treatment

Rick Lin, DO MPH

First Year Dermatology Resident

Texas Division of KCOM Dermatology Residency Program

Background InformationBackground Information

Warts are small harmless lesions of the skin caused by a virus: the human papilloma virus. The appearance of warts can differ based on

the type of wart and where it is located on the body.

Warts are common in children. Most cases occur between ages 12-16 years.

Up to 30% of warts disappear by themselves within 6 months. Most will disappear without any treatment within 3 years.


Warts are caused by the DNA-containing human papillomavirus (HPV). There are at least 63 genetically different types of HPVs.

The virus enters the skin after direct contact with recently shed viruses kept alive in warm, moist environments such as a locker room, or by direct contact with an infected person.

The entry site is often an area of recent injury. The incubation time—from when the virus is contracted until a wart appears—can be 1-8 months.


Contrary to popular mythology, touching a frog will not give you warts.

Types of wartsTypes of warts

Common warts (verrucae vulgaris): These common warts typically develop on the hand, especially around the nail. They are gray to flesh colored, raised from the skin surface, and covered with rough, hornlike projections.


Plantar warts (verrucae plantaris): Plantar warts, by definition, occur on the plantar surface, or bottom, of the foot.

They usually occur in high pressure areas such as the heel and the metatarsal heads (just behind the toes).

They usually grow into the skin, not outward like common warts.

This growing into the skin makes them more difficult to treat.

Flat warts (verrucae plana): Flat warts are most commonly seen on the face, the back of the hands, and lower legs.

They usually appear as small individual bumps about 1/4 inch across.

Flat warts may spread rapidly on the face and lower legs from the activities involved in shaving.


HistopathologyHistopathology

Verruca vulgaris (common wart) is caused by varous strains of human papilloma virus (HPV 1, 2, 4, 7, 26-29).

Macroscopically verruca vulgaris may present as hard, rough surfaced papule 2 – 20 mm (solitary or multiple).

Microscopically, this is an exophytic, symmetric, papillomatous lesion with large keratohyaline granules and characteristic inturning of the rete ridges.

HistopathologyHistopathology

Parakeratotic columnar tiers of stratum corneum overlie the papillomatous surface.

Small amounts of hemorrhage may be present within the columns of parakeratosis.

Other characteristic features include koilocytosis, hypergranulosis and presence of multinucleated cells.

TreatmentTreatment

Home care is effective in making the wart or warts go away. No matter what technique you use, warts will disappear 60-70% of the time.

Techniques may be done with and without medication.

TreatmentTreatment

The ultimate goal of the medical therapies (not the surgical treatments) is to get your body to recognize the wart as something foreign and to destroy it, much like the body destroys a cold virus.

Adhesive tape therapyAdhesive tape therapy

Place several layers of waterproof adhesive tape over the wart region (even duct tape).

Do not remove the tape for 6-1/2 days. Then take off the tape and open the area to the air for 12 hours.

Reapply tape for another 6-1/2 days.

Adhesive tape therapyAdhesive tape therapy

The tape works best in the region around the fingernail.

Tape works because the air-tight, moist environment under the tape does not allow the virus to grow and reproduce

Salicylic acid therapySalicylic acid therapy

Salicylic acid is available by many different trade names at the drug store. – Dual Film– Wart-Off– Dr. Scholl’s Wart Medication– Medi-Plast

It comes either as a liquid to paint on the wart or as a plaster to be cut out and placed on the wart tissue.


The area with the wart should be soaked in warm water for 5-10 minutes.

The wart should then be pared down with a razor. A simple razor works fine for this, then throw it away.

Do not shave far enough to make the wart bleed.


Apply the salicylic acid preparation to the wart tissue.

Do not apply it to other skin because of salicylic acid's potential to injure normal tissue.

Follow directions on the package for how long to apply the acid.

CryosurgeryCryosurgery

Liquid nitrogen or cryotherapy is used to deep freeze the wart tissue.

With liquid nitrogen applied to the wart, the water in the cells expands, thus exploding the infected tissue.

The exploded cells can no longer hide the human papillomavirus from the body's immune system.

The immune system then works to destroy the virus particles.

CryosurgeryCryosurgery

Periungual area may scar if cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is used improperly.

Scarring could lead to permanent nail disfiguration.

Laser TherapyLaser Therapy

Laser therapy: Lasers are simply very intense light sources.

This light has an enormous amount of energy that heats the tissue enough that it vaporizes.

Shave RemovalShave Removal

Shave removal and electrodessication of the base may be necessary when other treatment methods fail.

This would involve numbing the region around the wart and shaving the wart flat with the surface and light electrodessication of the base.

Prognosis:Prognosis:

Most warts will disappear without treatment anywhere from 6 months to 3 years.

Warts may recur after treatment and require additional treatments.

Prevention:Prevention:

Avoid touching warts on others or touching them on yourself (refrain from rubbing a warty finger across your face).

Children needs to avoid biting or chewing warts.

Wear shower shoes in the gym locker room to lower your risk of picking up the virus that causes plantar warts from the moist environment.

When to ReferWhen to Refer

If you feel uncomfortable treating warts.

Warts that are resistant to your treatment

Unsure of diagnosis

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

Health & Medicine

Warts Diagnosis and Treatment Rick Lin, DO MPH