Wart

What is wart?

Wart is a common skin disease. It is caused by human papilloma virus. Wart can grow in nearly every part of our body. It commonly affects kids and adolescents.

Cause

Wart is a contagious disease. You may develop wart if you share towel, shaver, or personal belongings with the infected person. Wart can spread from one place to another in your body. If you have poor immunity, you may have higher chance of having wart.

Symptoms

Warts can present in different size and shape. It may cause a raised skin patch or rough round skin nodule. There may be black dots in the centre. It sometimes causes pain and bleeds. Some warts are flat. Most of the patient noticed there is some skin color and skin pattern change in the wart comparing to the surrounding skin.

Treatment

Small percentage of the wart subsides without treatment in few months or few years time.  If warts cause discomfort, increase in numbers, or affect the appearance, then you should consider the following treatments:

• Chemical Therapy
  Applying caustic chemicals over the skin lesion causes superficial tissue necrosis. The depth and width of the chemical induced tissue necrosis need careful control.  Please consult your doctor for advice.
• Cryotherapy
  Using liquid nitrogen spray over the skin lesion induces frostbite and subsequent superficial tissue necrosis.  The depth and width of the cryotherapy induced tissue necrosis need careful control.  It usually takes several treatment sessions to cure.  Please consult your doctor for advice.
• Laser surgical therapy
  Using carbon dioxide laser to vaporize and destroys the warts. The depth of tissue destruction needs careful control.  Please consult your doctor for advice.
• Surgical excision
  Surgeons use scalpel or electric knife to remove the wart in one piece and close the wound with sutures.  Please consult your doctor for advice.

FAQ

Q: How to prevent warts?
A: Avoid to contact patients with warts and their belongings.  Do not share items such as razors, towels, socks and shoes.  Avoid walking barefoot in public bathroom and dressing room.  To keep feet dry.