Most warts are viral in nature, which means they arise due to an infection of the skin by a virus, called the human papilloma virus. This is the same virus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer, but there are many different strains of the virus, some of which cause warts to appear on fingers. Because these warts are viral in nature, they may come back even after removal of the wart, because the virus is able to "hide" within the body.
Step 1
Freeze the wart. This can be done by a dermatologist, who will use liquid nitrogen, or at home using aerosol sprays. These sprays are available over-the-counter and will kill the wart by freezing it.
Step 2
Burn the wart off with acid. The most common medication for this is salicylic acid, which is also available over-the-counter. This method requires daily application of the salicylic acid solution to the wart, followed by removing the dead tissue using a nail file or a piece of pumice.
Step 3
Use the "duct tape" method. Similar to burning the wart with salicylic acid, the duct tape method involves placing a piece of duct tape over the wart for 6 days. Once this time period is up, remove the duct tape, clean and dry the wart and rub it with a nail file or piece of pumice to remove the dead tissue. Repeat the process until the wart is gone.
Step 4
Have your doctor burn the warts. This can be done using a technique called electrodessication, which uses an electric current to kill the wart.
Step 5
Look into other methods of treatment, such as injections. If none of the above methods are working, your doctor may inject imiquimod, which will stimulate your immune system and cause it to kill the wart. He may also inject yeast into the wart (to kill the virus) or inject bleomycin, which is an antibiotic.
Things You'll Need
- Aerosol wart remover
- Salicylic acid
- Duct tape
- Pumice or nail file
