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Wart Treatments

Wart Treatments in Cincinnati, Ohio

A common wart is a rough, granular lump that appears on the hands and fingers. It’s caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads through contact. This is why warts are so common in children, young adults, and those with a weaker immune system. Although warts aren’t dangerous to your health, you may want to have them removed if you’re embarrassed by them or if they’re interfering with your daily activities. If you’re bothered with warts, there are a number of home cures you can try. However, before attempting treatment on your own, you should see Moksha Dermatology in Cincinnati, Ohio to ensure that you do indeed have warts and that the treatment you choose is both successful and safe.

What Causes Warts?

HPV, or human papillomavirus, causes common, everyday warts. There are roughly 100 different types of HPV, but only one causes warts on your hands. Foot warts, as well as warts on other body regions and in your mucus membranes, are caused by a different kind of HPV. Skin-to-skin contact, such as a cut in your hand or a hangnail, can transmit warts. You can catch them by touching something that has been touched by someone with a wart, such as exercise equipment.

Another HPV strain causes genital warts, which are spread through sexual contact. HPV can be prevented using a vaccine that is routinely given to children. However, even if you’ve been vaccinated, warts might develop after direct contact. And everyone’s reaction to the infection is different. Your immune system’s health determines whether or not you are prone to developing warts.

How to Identify warts

When you see little pimples on your genitals, you have genital warts. Plantar warts and “common” warts on the hands are more likely to take the following forms:

  • Rough when you touch them
  •  Flesh-colored, pink, tan, or white bumps
  •  Grainy feeling
  •  It was filled in small black flecks, which were actually blocked blood vessels.

While it’s critical to see Moksha Dermatology in Cincinnati, Ohio if you notice any of these lumps on your hands, genitals, or feet, it’s absolutely essential to see your skin doctor before attempting to remove them if:

  • You’re not sure they are warts
  •  You have HIV, AIDS, or a compromised immune system
  •  The warts are causing you any level of pain
  •  They change in color or size
  •  Attempts at home treatments fail

How Moksha Dermatology in Cincinnati, Ohio Can Help

Home wart treatments can take up to a year to completely remove your warts. They could yet come back. Another difficulty with home treatments is that they can expand as you wait for them to go away. Warts on the genital area, in particular, should be treated as soon as possible. Moksha Dermatology offers a variety of options for removing warts, depending on their location. Simultaneously, you may be told to continue with at-home treatments, particularly salicylic acid, to supplement the doctor’s efforts.

  • Prescription-strength salicylic acid acts in the same way as lower-strength variants. Your doctor may administer the acid in the office or advise you to continue with the more aggressive treatments at home. Moksha Dermatology may choose to combine the acid therapy with freezing at the same time.
  •  Cryotherapy is done in our office and works similarly to over-the-counter treatments. However, because liquid nitrogen is more powerful, you may have more severe blistering, pain, and discoloration. It’s likely that you’ll need many treatments to get rid of your warts altogether.
  •  Trichloroacetic or bichloroacetic acid is an option we may use if salicylic acid and freezing aren’t making a difference. Your skin doctor shaves off the top of the wart before applying this stronger acid. You’ll feel a stinging and burning feeling as you apply the acid gently. Additionally, it may take a few weekly treatments to entirely eliminate warts.
  •  Laser surgery is another popular option for eliminating warts on your hands.  The microscopic blood vessels that make up the wart are cauterized by the laser. As the wart tissue dies and comes off, the procedure, like other laser treatments, is designed to trigger your immune system to rush healing properties to the area. Laser treatment for wart removal isn’t always the most efficient technique to get rid of the pesky bumps. It can be excruciatingly painful and result in a scar. However, at your appointment with Moksha Dermatology, you can discuss your options.