Worry Warts: Remedies for wart removal effective, occasionally sophisticated

What is in a wart? From ancient rituals requiring the afflicted to bury string to wearing banana peels to sticking on duct tape, throughout history people have tried countless techniques to remove them. Although the pesky bumps are mostly harmless, the desire to get rid of warts has created some curious remedies. In fact, one old folk remedy even encouraged the afflicted to become charitable, instructing the wart weary to rub their warts with 20 pennies and then give them away.

Modern medicine has trumped many of these superstitions. Physicians now know that warts are not caused by handling toads, but by the human papillomavirus or HPV. Today’s remedies are as effective for removing warts as they are sophisticated. Treatments range from the simple, like over-the-counter creams and prescription medications, to the high-tech such as freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen or even laser removal. However, despite an increasing amount of knowledge concerning warts and HPV, it remains up to the patient’s body to end the cycle of warts and get rid of the virus.

“There’s only about a 50 percent chance that (after medical attention) they will be gone by the end of the month,” said dermatologist Dr. Rick Lin. “The treatments draw the body’s attention to the virus so the immune system can fight it.”

Although modern practices are mostly effective, a recent study by the Department of Pediatric Gastoenterology and Nutrition in Cincinnati determined that placing duct tape on a wart for two months was effective in 85 percent of patients as opposed to 60 percent of patients who had cryotherapy, or applied liquid nitrogen to the warts. Some superstitions have staying power, as do some warts.

In fact, removing wart by any means including blistering the skin underneath or minor surgery only guarantees a temporary remedy; removing the pesky bump doesn’t remove the virus entirely and warts are likely to pop up again.

Warts usually do not require a dermatologist and will disappear on their own when an immune system destroys the virus, although that may take up to two years.

“Many times we just let it go away on its own,” Lin said. “We usually recommend that for children, since it’s the least traumatic option. Warts are most common in children rather than adults.”

There are some cases when a wart should be checked out by a doctor.

“If the wart grows too big, it could actually be a form of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma and would require a biopsy by a dermatologist,” Lin said.

Warts should be checked for unusual size, color or shape that may indicate skin cancer. Although most warts are harmless, genital warts should always be evaluated by a doctor. HPV, the cause of genital warts, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in North America. Certain strains of the HPV virus not only result in warts but are a prerequisite to cervical cancer in women.

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Kate Cagle covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4427. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.

Warts

A wart is generally a small, rough tumor, typically on hands and feet, that can resemble a cauliflower or a small blister. Warts are common and are caused by a viral infections, some specifically by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious when in contact with the skin of another.

Types of warts

• common wart

• flat wart

• filiform or digitate wart

• plantar wart

• mosaic wart

• genital wart

Some Types of Treatment

• Keratolysis: removal of dead surface skin cells

• Cryosurgery: which involves freezing the wart, after which the wart and surrounding dead skin falls off

• Surgical curettage of the wart

• Laser treatment

• Imiquimod: a topical cream that helps the body’s immune system

• Candida: injections of the site of the wart

• Cantharidin: a chemical found naturally in many members of the beetle family

— Source: www.wikipedia.com