Wart Treatment
What Causes Warts?
Before receiving wart treatment and determining recovery time, a wart specialist must first determine the cause. Some causes of warts include:
- An infection in the top layer of the skin, caused by viruses in the HPV family
- Direct skin-to-skin contact with someone else who has warts
- Different immune systems and genetic makeups
What Are The Types of Warts?
There are 5 types of warts:
Common warts
Common warts usually appear on the toes and fingers but can grow in other places as well. They have a rounded top and are grayer than the surrounding skin.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet. If you notice what appears to be a small hole on the bottom of your foot surrounded by hardened skin, then you’ve got a plantar wart.
Flat Warts
Flat warts commonly grow on the face, thighs, or arms. They are small and usually brownish, pink, or slightly yellow.
Filiform Warts
Filiform warts grow around the mouth and nose, or sometimes under your chin or on your neck. They are the same color as your skin and may look like a small flag or skin tag.
Periungual Warts
Lastly, periungual warts grow under and around the fingernails and toenails. These warts can affect nail growth and be painful.
Wart Removal in Glendale or Encino
Warts can come and go on their own, so there is usually a period of waiting to see what the case will be. A dermatologist that specializes in wart removal can do a variety of treatments, such as:
- Freezing (Cryotherapy)
- Salicylic acid plaster
- Cantharidin
- Pumice Stone
- Bleomycin injection
- Aldara
We offer the following treatments at our Glendale and Encino locations:
Cryotherapy
This type of treatment uses liquid nitrogen. One of the most popular wart removal methods, cryotherapy freezes and causes frostbite within the wart for easy removal. Cryotherapy can be completed within minutes by a dermatologist that specializes in wart removal. Most people say it feels like an ice cube touching the skin, but this generally lasts only a few seconds. The treatment usually leaves no scars and lowers the chance of warts spreading to other parts of the body.
Astringents / Toners
This is a topical substance that causes the skin under the wart to blister, and the wart to come off with the blistered skin. At BHSkin Dermatology, a wart specialist at one of the Los Angeles locations will place a Band-Aid over the affected area. You’ll want to wash the area with soap and water after 1-2 hours or as directed by your dermatologist. The skin will begin to blister within 12-24 hours and the wart will come off when the blister dries.
Cantharidin is used when other methods, like cryotherapy, are not effective. The treatments should be repeated monthly at one of our clinics in either Encino or Glendale to maintain results.
Bleomycin injection
This is a medication that is injected directly into the wart. This injection can destroy skin cells and put a halt to wart growth. Often used to stop tumor growth, Bleomycin is often the last resort for wart removal. The shot can cause pain or burn at the injection site.
Aldara
This is an immunotherapy drug that stimulates your immune system to fight off the wart virus. Aldara treatment can be applied 2 to 5 times a week for up to 16 weeks.
Locations
1505 Wilson Terrace
Suite 240
Glendale, CA 91206
Don Mehrabi MD in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Encino Tarzana, and Glendale. Same/Next Day / Saturday appt.
16030 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 140
Encino, CA 91436
Don Mehrabi MD in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Encino Tarzana, and Glendale. Same/Next Day / Saturday appt.
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