Wart Removal
Advanced Wart Treatment Options in the San Diego Area
Dr. Melanie Palm is a nationally recognized dermatologist and an expert in the treatment of cosmetic and medical skin conditions. Dr. Palm is a noted leader in her field and offers many effective treatment options for warts and wart removal. Her offices are located in Solana Beach, CA just north of San Diego.
What Are Warts?
Contrary to the old wives’ tale, you don’t get warts from kissing a toad. Warts are small growths that appear on the skin and are typically similar in color but harder and rougher in texture. Warts are caused by various strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are contagious. They are spread by skin-to-skin contact or through fomites, meaning objects such as a countertop, towel, or gym equipment surface, which may harbor the HPV virus.
Types of Warts
Common warts, called verruca vulgaris, affect the trunk, arms, hands, legs, and face. There are over 100 strains of the HPV virus, leading to various forms of warts from common warts to flat warts. Warts affecting the palms or soles of the feet are called verruca palmaris and plantaris. Warts affecting the genitals are called condyloma acuminata. Warts appear as raised bumps on the body or face, soft or tan skin-tag like lesions in the genital region, or sometimes painful, flat spots on the hands or feet.
Treatment and Removal Options for Warts
On average, the body will eliminate a wart within about 3 years without treatment. However, some warts, especially plantar warts on the bottom surface of the foot, may persist for many years without treatment.
Many treatment options, however, do exist for the elimination of warts. Daily duct tape application, alone or in combination with topical preparations such as salicylic acid may be helpful for younger patients as well as adults. Other topical therapies such as retinoids, sinecatechins ointment (Veregen), and imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara) can be used to treat warts. Liquid nitrogen, light and laser therapy, shave excision, and intralesional bleomycin or Candida antigen can all be used to destroy skin affected by the wart virus or elicit an immune-mediated destruction of the wart.
If you are looking for a dermatologist to remove warts in the San Diego area, call Dr. Melanie Palm at 858.792.SKIN (7546) to schedule your appointment to discuss your treatment options.
