How to Remove Warts on Your Face - Safe Health & Med Spa

Warts are benign (non-cancerous) skin growths that appear when a virus infects the top layer of the skin. Viruses that cause warts are called human papillomavirus (HPV). You are more likely to get one of these viruses if you cut or damage your skin in some way.

Wart viruses are contagious. Warts can spread by contact with the wart or something that touched the wart. Warts are often skin-colored and feel rough, but they can be dark (brown or gray-black), flat, and smooth.

Signs and symptoms of warts

There are a few different types of warts. The type is generally determined by where it grows on the body and what it looks like. Common warts include:

Foot warts (also called plantar warts)

Flat warts

Filiform warts

How do dermatologists treat warts?

Warts often go away without treatment. This is especially true when children get warts. In adults, warts may not disappear as easily or as quickly as they do in children. Although most warts are harmless, dermatologists do treat them. You should see a dermatologist if you cannot get rid of the warts, the warts hurt, or you have many warts. Dermatologists have many treatments for warts. The treatment used depends on the patient’s age and health as well as the type of wart.

A dermatologist may use one of the following treatments:

Cantharidin: A dermatologist may treat a wart in the office by "painting" it with cantharidin. Cantharidin causes a blister to form under the wart. In a week or so, you can return to the office and the dermatologist will clip away the dead wart.

Cryotherapy: For common warts in adults and older children, cryotherapy (freezing) is the most common treatment. This treatment is not too painful. It can cause dark spots in people who have dark skin. It is common to need repeat treatments.

Electro surgery and curettage: Electro surgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts, and foot warts. Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool. These two procedures often are used together. The dermatologist may remove the wart by scraping it off before or after electro surgery.

Excision: The doctor may cut out the wart (excision).

Warts can be unsightly as well as itchy, and over-the-counter treatments are often ineffective. If you are looking for a Wart Removal Specialist in and around Lansing or Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, Dr. Saif Fatteh, MD, offers treatment for all types of warts. To learn more about your treatment options, Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Fatteh Today. Online booking makes it easy to find a time that fits your schedule, or you can always call to check the availability.

Warts are usually painless, but they can be itchy and unattractive for most of the people. So it is advisable to see a dermatologist for wart removal in Lansing and Mount Pleasant.

According to Safe Health PC’s Dermatologist, they are caused by a group of viruses known collectively as Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Various strains of HPV cause different types of warts.

These viruses can easily spread from one person to the next through skin-to-skin contact or even by touching something an infected person has recently touched. You can also transfer the virus to different areas of your own body by shaving, scratching the affected skin, or biting your fingernails if warts are located on your hands.

Although, warts can self heal themselves over the period of a year or two and the fresh ones may develop in the vicinity. If your warts are getting troublesome, cosmetic concern, or spreading at a high pace, a dermatologist specialize in wart removal is highly recommended.

Dr. Saif Fatteh, a board-certified dermatologist at Skin Specialists in Lansing and Mt. Pleasant, can assess your skin care concerns and provide treatment options for warts.