All warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Common warts usually present on the hands and/or feet, but warts can develop on any area of skin. Warts can go away on their own, but often persist for years untreated. Warts can stay in one are or spread.

There is no one 100% effective treatment for warts, but fortunately there are many effective options including topical, oral, injectable and “freezing” with liquid nitrogen. At VibrantSkin Dermatology and Laser, Dr. Buster customizes treatments to fit your needs including several painless treatment options.

Tips for warts:

• If you don’t want to treat warts, be sure to avoid manipulating them as that can lead to spread. In other words, don’t pick at, bite or otherwise manipulate your warts. Remember warts can develop on ANY skin including lips, nose, eyelids, etc. As a low-key treatment, consider covering warts on hands/feet with duct tape as that alone has been shown to help some warts resolve.
• DO NOT shave areas of skin that have warts. This is a common way to spread warts (especially flat warts on legs) and can lead to hundreds of warts. Instead, if wanting to reduce hair in an area with warts, consider a depilatory (e.g., Nair), waxing, threading or similar. With topical agents (creams, waxes, etc.) for hair removal, always treat a small test area (per package instructions) first to ensure your skin is not sensitive to ingredients.