Flat warts are flat-topped, smooth, yellowish papules caused by infection with HPV 3, 10, 28 or 49. In most cases, flat warts are benign and cause no symptoms, according to Merck. They will disappear on their own without treatment, but you can also remove them for cosmetic reasons. Because flat warts on the face often occur in multiples and develop on fragile skin, they are more difficult to treat than warts that occur elsewhere on the body.
Step 1
Try treatment with topical irritants, such as tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Merck states that these medications work by causing the wart to peel away from the skin and by triggering an immune response against HPV, the virus responsible for the warts.
Step 2
Visit your dermatologist to have your flat wart cut away. Your doctor will apply a topical numbing agent to the area to minimize pain, and then slice the wart off with a scalpel. Recovery is minimal, but there is a risk of developing a small scar at the removal site. The American Academy of Dermatology states that this removal method may require multiple office visits to remove large numbers of warts.
Step 3
Undergo cryotherapy to remove a facial flat wart. Cryotherapy involves the application of liquid nitrogen directly to the wart, which will cause it to die and fall off. This procedure effectively removes about half of all warts after a single treatment, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD). Cryosurgery is not an efficient means of removing multiple flat warts.
Step 4
Speak with your doctor about laser therapy for wart removal. Laser therapy works by burning warts away, but it may cause scarring and is therefore not a preferred treatment method for facial warts. Pulsed dye lasers are more effective than traditional lasers, pose a lower risk of scarring and require very little recovery time, according to the AOCD.
Tips and Warnings
- While some warts are contagious, transmission from one person to another is uncommon. The American Academy of Dermatology states that flat warts tend to occur in large numbers, with some people developing as many as 100 at one time.
- Avoid using over-the-counter wart removal products on your face. The National Institutes of Health warns that these products may damage delicate facial skin, burn or cause other side effects.
