A wart on the face can be embarrassing for school-aged children, so contacting a doctor to determine the best course of treatment can lower the risk of your child developing low self-esteem or avoiding social situations. Facial warts are not limited to the main areas of the skin. They can appear on the eyelids, in the nose and around the mouth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, warts are rare in children under age 2.
Cause
Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are more than 100 strands of HPV so it's impossible to determine which type has infected your child. Warts are contagious, so the virus can be spread by direct contact or by sharing an object with someone who is infected.
According to Mayo Clinic, a wart can show two to six months after your child has been exposed to HPV. If left untreated, it will typically disappear within two years depending on how your child's immune system reacts to the virus.
Identification
A wart is a small firm bump that resembles cauliflower because of its rough appearance. However, warts on the face are often called flat warts because of their smoother appearance. If a wart is scratched or picked, it will usually bleed, but the wart will remain on the skin. Although warts are typically painless, they can be uncomfortable if bumped or brushed against.
Treatment
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, although most warts will disappear on their own, treating the wart decreases the risk of having it spread to other parts of the body or to another person. There are several methods a doctor can use to treat your child's facial wart. Cryotherapy involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen. Cantharidin is a chemical that can also be painted onto the wart. Depending on the location of the wart on your child's face, a doctor may prefer burning, cutting or using laser treatment to remove it.
Prevention
Once your child has HPV, he has it for life and it's always possible for another wart to reappear after one disappears. It's very difficult to prevent warts from occurring, but your child can reduce his risk by regularly washing his hands. If he has any cuts, keep them clean and bandaged. Inform your child that warts are contagious so he does not touch the wart of a friend or classmate.
Considerations
Although warts typically clear on their own, a facial wart will often cause your child to be teased by other children making your child feel isolated and self conscious. Since a wart can take up to two years to go away on its own, contacting your child's doctor as soon as possible may be in your child's best interest. An over-the-counter treatment should never be used on the face of your child without consulting a doctor first, especially if the wart is close to the eye.
