Common warts (also known as verruca vulgaris) are growths that can occur on the skin as a result of a viral infection. Most warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are usually non-cancerous, although they are contagious and can spread via direct contact.
While they can occur anywhere on the skin, warts are commonly found on the hands (palmar warts) and feet (plantar warts) and can easily infect the skin through small cuts and scrapes. Warts may vary in appearance based on their location on the body, but most appear as a rough skin growth that may have black dots in the center, which are small, dried blood vessels.
There are a variety of home remedies for treating warts, but one of the most efficient ways to get rid of them is by using cryotherapy. Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart, effectively killing the virus that has infected the top layer of your skin. Depending on the size and thickness of the wart, multiple cryotherapy sessions may be required, but most warts disappear in 4 sessions or less.
If you have a wart you want removed, call our office at 508-936-1657 to book an appointment.