Warts
What are warts?
Warts are caused by a virus that infects the top layer of your skin. There are over 200 types of wart viruses. Once the virus gets in, it takes over your skin cells and tells them to grow thicker to protect itselfe. That’s what forms the bump we see as a wart. Warts can show up almost anywhere on the body and come in many shapes and sizes.
Why do I have warts?
Wart viruses are everywhere. You can get warts by touching someone who has them or by touching shared surfaces like showers or gym floors. But not everyone who is exposed will get warts. Some people are just more likely to get them. For example, in my family, a couple of us had bad plantar warts (foot warts), but others never got them—even using the same bathroom.
How do I get rid of warts?
There are two main ways to treat warts:
Boost your immune system to help your body recognize and fight off the wart virus.
Destroy the wart directly by killing the infected skin cells.
Destroying the wart often works better, but no treatment consistently works more than 50% of the time. That’s why combining both strategies can give better results.
To help your immune system, try over-the-counter supplements like zinc and L-methionine. These can be used alongside other treatments.
There are many ways to destroy the wart. The best over-the-counter wart treatment I recommend is WartStick or Curad pads, which contain 40% salicylic acid. Avoid over-the-counter freezing kits—they don’t get cold enough to fully destroy warts.
Steps for using WartStick:
Apply WartStick to the wart at bedtime
Cover with a small piece of duct tape (either 3M, Gorilla, or Duck Brand, not store-brand). This keeps the WartStick on the wart all night.
In the morning, remove the duct tape—top layers of the wart may come off.
NOTE: WartStick and Curad pads contain a strong acid that can cause redness, soreness, and sometimes whitening of the skin.
When do I know when the wart is gone?
Look for your natural skin lines (like fingerprints on hands and feet). A wart breaks these lines—they stop at the wart’s edge and restart on the other side. When the skin lines reconnect fully, the wart is gone, even if the area looks red or irritated.
What if the WartStick or Curad pads aren’t working?
Wart treatments like WartStick or Curad pads don’t work for everyone. No treatment works better than 50% of the time, even prescription or in-office options. If WartStick doesn’t work or is too strong for sensitive areas, see a dermatologist. They may use liquid nitrogen (-320°F), which can actually help WartStick start to work again at home. It is best to combine in-office treatments with at-home treatments to boost results. Multiple freezing sessions may be needed. Look for a board-certified dermatologist in your area. If you are in or near Utah, see one of my excellent colleagues at the University of Utah or me virtually via Honeydew.
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