The human papillomavirus, or HPV, may cause abnormal growths on the skin known as “warts.” Warts are mostly harmless, but they can be spread to other people, so you may want to consider having the wart removed. Dr. Janine Hopkins, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist, offers wart removal for men and women in Monroe, Alexandria, Shreveport, the Ark-La-Miss, Southlake, TX and the surrounding areas of Northeast Louisiana.
What Are Warts?
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, has emerged as a popular topic in the media. What many people do not know, however, is that some types of HPV cause warts. The virus triggers an accelerated development of cells in the skin, and while people typically have warts on their hands and fingers, these growths can develop anywhere. Warts may be contagious, but they are also a cosmetic concern for men and women.
How Much Does Wart Removal Cost in Monroe, LA and Southlake, TX?
The cost of wart removal depends on the nature of the wart, treatment area, and other factors. We will discuss pricing at the time of your appointment.
What Are the Benefits of Wart Removal?
Removing a wart may be something to consider if you are concerned with how the wart looks or if you want to prevent spreading warts to others. Many over-the-counter products exist to treat warts, but your best option is to have the wart removed by a board-certified dermatologist.
How Do I Know If I Have Warts?
There are several varieties of warts.
- Flat warts most often occur in children and teenagers. They have a smooth, flat appearance and typically develop on the face. Females tend to develop flat warts on their legs.
- Plantar warts are light brown or flesh colored growths that have visible blood vessels that look like little black dots. This type of wart only occurs on the bottoms of the feet.
- Genital warts are pinkish, red, or flash colored and develop In the genital area. They are not painful, but the small clusters may bleed and itch.
What Should I Expect from Wart Removal?
Dr. Hopkins uses several techniques for wart removal treatments.
- Medications that are injected into the growth to kill the virus
- Laser treatment to destroy the wart
- Surgery to cut the wart away from the surrounding healthy skin
- Medications that are applied to the wart
- Freezing that causes the wart to fall away from the skin
Wart Removal FAQs
When should you get a wart removed?
The decision to get a wart removed will mostly come down to your personal preference. If your warts are spreading, it’s a good indicator that you should get the warts removed. If your wart is causing pain, or you would like to eliminate the wart for cosmetic reasons, you may want to consider getting your wart removed.
Is it bad to leave a wart untreated?
In most cases, warts that are left untreated will eventually be fought off by the body, but this can take a few years. In these cases, it’s not too big of a deal to leave the wart untreated. However, it can be bad to leave a wart untreated if it is spreading to other areas of your body or to other people. In these cases, we would recommend seeking wart removal treatment.
Does clear nail polish kill warts?
Using clear nail polish to kill warts is a rumored at-home remedy. People think that the nail polish will “suffocate” the wart, causing it to die. The truth is, using clear nail polish may have little to no effect on the wart. In some cases, however, it can prevent the wart from spreading. You should instead seek mole removal treatments for a more significant results.
How can I prevent warts?
Warts can be difficult to prevent, but some hygiene tips can help you lower your chances of getting one. These include avoiding touching others’ warts, not picking at any warts you do develop and getting the HPV vaccine to prevent genital warts.
"I have had to got to a dermatologist every 6 months for the last 20+ years. Dr. Hopkins and her wonderful staff took great care of me. I am so happy not to have to suffer painful Mohs surgery. Instead she offers the newest treatments with light therapy which suits my active, outdoor lifestyle. I simply cannot be meeting clients with big bandages on my face. Thanks to Dr. Hopkins, I don’t have to! Painless procedure with extremely high rates of success. I highly recommend Hopkins Dermatology." - Trent T.