What should you know about extreme wart removal?

Warts are rough growths caused by a viral infection in the skin. They can occur on hands, feet, the face or genital skin, and pressure can make a plantar wart sore. Several warts may cluster or return after treatment. A growth that bleeds easily, changes quickly, becomes unusually painful, or does not look like a typical wart may need diagnosis before any removal attempt.

A clinician may use freezing, a prescription preparation, careful scraping, or a minor procedure. The method depends on the site, depth, skin type, immune health and whether preserving nearby skin is especially important.

Do not cut, burn or aggressively file a wart at home. Avoid picking it, cover it when practical, wash hands after touching it, and do not share towels, nail tools or footwear. Keep feet dry if a foot wart is present. A clinician can discuss wart removal and explain wound care, discomfort, blistering, pigment change and the possibility that more than one session may be needed.

Arrange an assessment for a wart on the face, genitals or near a nail, for a painful or bleeding growth, for many rapidly spreading lesions, or when home treatment has failed. Seek prompt care for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus, fever or worsening pain after a procedure.

Ask whether the growth is definitely a wart, which removal method suits its location, how to protect surrounding skin, how long healing may take, and what to do if it returns. Mention diabetes, poor circulation, immune problems and medicines that affect healing.