The human papillomavirus (HPV) is both highly contagious and difficult to treat. There are more than 100 known strains of HPV, many of which cause warts. Warts are abnormal growths on the uppermost layer of skin, which is called the epidermis. They are not cancerous in and of themselves, and they do not cause cancer to develop. They are, however, unattractive, they can become irritated and, in some cases, they are painful.
Immune Response
Left untreated, the immune system often clears up warts on its own. This, however, can take months to years to accomplish and, because the virus remains in the body even when no warts are present, new warts can appear.
Vaccine
One particularly tenacious type of wart is spread through sexual activity. Genital warts can be spread through oral, anal or vaginal sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 50 percent of the adults who are sexually active, will have genital warts at some time.
Gardisil, which is a vaccine against a specific type of cancer caused by certain strains of HPV, has been shown to be effective in protecting 90 percent of girls from contracting genital warts.
Occlusion
A popular home remedy used for treating warts involves occluding, or smothering, the wart with duct tape. While the exact reason this method works is not fully understood, this easy, inexpensive treatment shows a high rate of success.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a common ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) wart compounds. Little by little, the acid burns away the top layers of the wart. The compound has to be re-applied daily and it can cause irritation in the surrounding skin. Smaller, less aggressive warts can disappear in as few as seven days. Others might take months.
Wart Freezes
One class of OTC treatment for warts involves using a product typically referred to as "wart freeze". Many wart freezes contain dimethyl ether, which is a propellant used in aerosols that can also be used as a refrigerant. These products freeze warts at temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees F. This is not nearly as cold as the products used by dermatologists, which reach temperatures of minus 320 degrees F.
Surgery
The only way to cure a wart is to remove it. It must be understood, however, that removing a wart only cures that wart. Others may appear in the same location or on other locations on the body.
Though some warts can be treated at home, it is often best to have a physician do so when there are many warts, when they are large, when they are in a delicate area, such as on the eyelids, or inside the vagina or urethra, and when they are persistent.
A medical provider might choose to excise the wart using scissors, a scalpel or a razor blade. Another form of removal involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen. This treatment is called cryotherapy. Electrosurgery involves burning the wart off with electricity. For very aggressive warts, your medical provider might choose to use laser therapy.
