Warts are one of those annoying stubborn skin disorders that never seem to want to go away. Have you ever had a healthcare provider tell you that they would just go away on their own and then they never do? Yeah, same. I swear I have had every common dermatologic condition at one point or another. My wart was on the bottom of my foot, and let me tell you… If I stepped on it the wrong way that little guy could hurt! I finally got sick of it one day and aggressively froze it off at the office. That’s not something I necessarily always recommend because it was sore to walk for about a week. I am going to discuss some of the options for how to get rid of stubborn warts once and for all.
First of all, what exactly is a wart? The proper medical term for common warts is verruca vulgaris. There are several other kinds such as genital warts but I won’t get into that topic today. Warts are caused by a virus. They can spread throughout the body and from person to person such as from sibling to sibling. They are more common among children but adults can get them too. If you have them on your fingers, do not bite your fingernails because you could spread them to your face and we don’t want that! Alright, time to dive into some but not all of the treatment options.
How to get rid of stubborn warts using OTC treatment options
For the face: Differin Adapalene 0.1% gel
Wait, isn’t that an acne treatment? Why yes, yes it is. Adapalene or other topical retinoids are normally my go-tos for smaller warts on the face especially for children because it is much more gentle than some of the other products out there and less likely to leave a mark behind. Adapalene will dry and irritate the skin which is what we want! You just need to apply the tiniest amount nightly to the wart, wash it off in the morning rinse, and repeat. Sometimes it can take weeks, and other times it can take months but if the wart is small enough this should hopefully do the trick. If it gets too irritating take a night or two off and then try again.
For the body: salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in most over-the-counter wart removal products such as Compound W. It can be effective if applied consistently. My recommendation is to apply it at night under occlusion, meaning under a bandage of some sort. Take it off in the morning and wash it with soap and water. After a while, the skin will become macerated (turn white). At that point, you can take a pumice stone and gently scrape away that dead skin before reapplying another round of Compound W. This will slowly eat away at the wart, and over time it should get smaller and smaller.
How to get rid of stubborn warts in the office
Liquid nitrogen
Have you ever heard that someone had a wart frozen off? We do that in the office with liquid nitrogen. There is an over-the-counter option but I don’t recommend it. It is typically not strong enough and can be used incorrectly to the point of harm. Liquid nitrogen in the office is so cold that it feels like it is burning. Like most wart treatments it is normally not a one-and-done deal. I typically recommend patients return to the office every 4-6 weeks until I am sure the wart is gone. Liquid nitrogen poses the risk of causing blisters and leaving hypopigmentation or white spots behind on the skin. It is however a go-to treatment in the office for most dermatology providers because it is quick, easy, and effective.
Cantharidin
Cantharidin is a liquid from a blister beetle that is applied directly to the wart while you are in the office. We let it dry, cover it with tape, and then you go home and wait around 4-6 hours before taking the tape off and washing it with soap and water. A blister should form anywhere from immediately to 72 hours later. Our goal here is to irritate the skin and cause your immune system to recognize there is a virus there and go and attack it. Cantharidin is a favorite of mine because it doesn’t hurt to apply and therefore kids normally tolerate it better and are willing to come back. Not every dermatology office carries cantharidin so if this is something you may be interested in then I would call the office prior to making an appointment. Similar to liquid nitrogen this treatment normally requires consistent follow-up to ensure complete removal.
Prescription-strength topicals
If you aren’t interested in liquid nitrogen or cantharidin, but you want something stronger than what you can find over the counter, then your provider may be able to prescribe topical treatments. There are a few different options out there for warts and this will ultimately be a preference of the provider.
Surgical removal
This is probably the most definitive treatment option but will almost definitely leave a scar and is not always 100% effective. I will sometimes numb and shave off larger warts and freeze the base of it with liquid nitrogen if it is particularly stubborn but this is generally not my first-line treatment recommendation.
There you have it. I hope you find this information on how to get rid of stubborn warts useful. If you do decide to see a medical provider then you will have more knowledge to make informed decisions. If you have had a treatment work successfully for warts comment below with what treatment you used and how long it took you!
*Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer. Information on this website is for education and entertainment purposes only. Content is my opinion. It is not substituted for your own doctor’s medical care or advice. One should not make any health or medical-related decisions based in whole or in part on any content on this site. Content is not intended to replace the services of a licensed, trained health professional. Content may not apply to you as an individual. Although I will update my website with current information, this website is not a definitive guide to dermatology.
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