Warts are skin blemishes that are commonly caused by a form of the human papillomavirus, commonly referred to as HPV. As the virus infects your skin, it triggers an increase in growth of the affected cells, creating a skin bump. Warts most commonly develop on the hands and feet but can also develop on the face. When facial warts occur, treatment options range from over-the-counter products to surgical intervention.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a common remedy for facial warts that can be found in most over-the-counter wart treatment products. Salicylic acid is a keratolytic agent, meaning it has the ability to break down keratin on the body. The skin making up the facial wart is largely made up of keratin. As salicylic acid products are applied to the wart, over time the layers of keratin are softened, the New Zealand Dermatological Society says. This allows the wart to be removed a layer at a time.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy can also be used on facial warts. This procedure can be done through over-the-counter freezing kits, or in a doctor's office by a trained medical professional. In over-the-counter products, an applicator is used to expose the wart to dimethyl ether and propane, which freezes the skin lesion. In doctor's offices liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the lesion. Both methods form blisters under and around the wart, the Mayo Clinic says. This causes the affected skin tissue to die and slough off. Treatment by a doctor is typically more effective and faster than over-the-counter products.
Bleomycin
Bleomycin is an antibiotic injection used to treat cancer, but it can also kill the virus that forms a wart. Like cryotherapy, bleomycin injections cause a blister to form under and around the wart. The blister then either falls off or can be scraped off the face with a scalpel, taking the wart with it. Bleomycin is typically reserved only for warts that have been resistant to other treatment methods or that are on areas of the body that are too difficult to surgically remove.
Surgical Removal
For stubborn warts that don't respond to other treatment methods, your doctor may be able to surgically remove the wart from your skin. During this procedure, the wart tissue is cut away from the skin using a scalpel. A local anesthetic is typically given to help dull the pain of the procedure. Your doctor may also use surgical electrodessication to destroy the wart tissue, which is done using an electric needle. Surgical removal can sometimes leave a scar, the Mayo Clinic says.
Laser
A more recent development in the removal of warts from the face is laser removal. During this procedure, the energy of specially calibrated laser waves are used to vaporize the wart tissue from the skin. But there is a risk for scar development.
