Wart Removal in Chattanooga, TN

What are Warts?

Warts are small skin growths caused by viral infections. They are noncancerous skin growths that appear most often on your fingers or hands. They can range in size from the tip of a pin needle to a large pea.

Rough to the touch, common warts also often feature a pattern of tiny black dots, which are small, clotted blood vessels. Warts are more common in children than adults, but can develop at any age.

The board-certified dermatologist at Uderm provide wart diagnosis and removal at our dermatology office near Chattanooga, TN. If you are located in Harrison, Collegedale, Ooltewah, and Tyner and would like to schedule an appointment to remove any warts or to get a routine skin check at Uderm, please call (423) 206-2777 or request an appointment online.

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What Causes Warts?

Common warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are transmitted by touch. Because children’s immune systems are still developing, they are more susceptible to the HPV virus. The virus enters through a cut or break in the skin and causes an infection.

There are many different types of warts, due to more than 100 different papillomavirus types.

Can Warts Spread?

Yes, warts can spread to other parts of the body and to other people. Although they are not considered highly contagious, they can spread through contaminated objects or surfaces.

How Long Will Warts Last?

Warts aren’t painful, except when located on the feet. Most warts go away without treatment, over an extended period of time. However, it is best to talk with a provider so you avoid spreading the virus to other people or other places in your body.

It can take a wart as long as two to six months to develop after your skin has been exposed to the virus. Common warts are usually harmless and eventually disappear on their own. The waiting approach isn’t recommended for people with multiple warts, or for those who have had their warts for more than two years.

Many people choose to remove them because they find them bothersome or embarrassing. The length of time it takes a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. It may take up to two years for the viral infection to leave your system and for the wart to disappear.

What are the Different Types of Warts?

Wart types vary depending on the affected body part.

Types of warts include:

• Hands: These warts are called common warts because they are the most common type.
• Face: Flat warts affect the face and forehead.
• Feet: Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet. These warts look like calluses with tiny black dots in the center. They are often painful and form in clusters. They can often be mistaken for a callus.
• Genitals: Warts that form on the penis, vagina or rectum are called genital warts. These warts are a type of sexually transmitted infection. You get genital warts through sexual contact with an infected person.
• Periungual and subungual: These warts form under or around fingernails and toe

What is the Treatment for Warts?

There are a number of options for treating warts. Your provider can help suggest the best course of treatment depending on the size and location of your wart.

• At-home wart removal: There are many wart removal medications you can buy at the store that contain salicylic acid. This chemical dissolves warts one layer at a time. These products come in liquid, gel and patch form. You may need to apply the medication every day for several months to get rid of the wart completely. Some also use duct tape or other methods to trigger the immune system to fight the virus.
• Freezing: During a procedure called cryotherapy, your dermatologist applies liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. After freezing, a blister forms. Eventually, the blister and wart peel off. You may need several treatments.
• Immunotherapy: For stubborn warts that don’t respond to traditional treatments, immunotherapy helps your immune system fight the virus. This process involves an injection with candida antigen (a sterilized yeast protein) into the wart, stimulating an immunologic response.
• Laser treatment: Dr. Miller uses laser light to heat and destroy tiny blood vessels inside the wart. The process cuts off blood supply, killing the wart.
• Curettage and electrocautery: This surgical procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The wart is removed by curettage and the base is cauterized. The wound generally heals in 7 to 10 days, but may leave a scar.
• Topical medicine: Your dermatologist may apply a liquid mixture containing the chemical cantharidin. A blister forms under the wart and cuts off its blood supply. You must return to our dermatology office in about a week to have the wart removed.

Give Us a Call

We can help you treat your wart and help prevent the spread of the virus causing you discomfort. You don’t have to live with the irritating effects of warts. Give us a call today.