Warts

Treatments for warts and verrucas

Source: NHS

In this topic (6)

Most warts and verrucas will eventually clear up without treatment.

They can be removed with over-the-counter treatments, but these can be time consuming, painful and don't always work.

Pharmacy treatments include:

  • creams, gels, skin paints and medicated plasters containing salicylic acid these burn the top layer of affected skin
  • cold sprays containing dimethyl ether propane these freeze the wart, but they're not thought to work as well as salicylic acid

There'snot enoughevidence to suggest applying duct tape to a wart or verruca works, so this isn't generally recommended.

Always check the leaflet that comes with the medication to check it's suitable and to see how to use it. Ask a pharmacist if you're not sure.

Salicylic acid needs to be applied every day. Before using it:

  • soak the wart in water for about five minutes to soften it
  • apply petroleum jelly to theskin around the wart to protect it
  • once a week, gently file the wart down a little using an emery board

While you have a wart or verruca, you should also take steps to avoid passing it to others .

Articles for Warts

Causes of warts and verrucas

Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) . This causes an excess ofa substance called keratin to developin the toplayer of skin, resulting ina hard, rough lump. Warts don't spread easily,

Introduction

Find out what warts and verrucas are, including what they look like and how you can get rid of them.

Preventing warts and verrucas

It's difficult to prevent warts and verrucas completely, but the following measures can help stop them spreading: avoidtouching other people's warts wash your hands after touching your own wart avo

Treatments for warts and verrucas

Most warts and verrucas will eventually clear up without treatment. They can be removed with over-the-counter treatments, but these can be time consuming, painful and don't always work. Pharmacy tre

What warts and verrucas look like

Warts and verrucas come in all shapes and sizes. They can affect any part of the body, but are more common on the hands and feet. Warts : tendto be round or oval-shaped(although some are long an

When to see your GP

See your GP for advice if: you're not sure whether a lump is a wart your GP can usually identify a wart by looking at it pharmacy treatments haven't worked you have a wart on your face don't treat