Warts - Yes a Contagious Viral Infection 

Warts are common. You can get them at any age, but they are prevalent in kid's aged 12 through 16. They usually appear on the hands, or feet but can be seen on the face or other body parts. How embarrassing - WARTS.  Younger children often can not understand why adults take such objection to those funny bumps that don't hurt.  Teenagers may become reclusive to avoid name calling by their peers. 

These common types of warts are harmless. Individual who take steroid medications, have suppressed immune systems such as those with HIV infection and kids are more likely to contract this viral infection. This virus is spread by direct skin contact or by touching the moist surfaces such as the floor of swimming areas, changing rooms of these facilities and other sports facilities if someone who has warts has touched the area.

Certain individuals seem to be more prone to viruses than other, even those in the same family. There are different types of warts; common, the plane wart, the filiform, the plantar, mosaic and the genital wart.

Treatment for Warts 

Usually no treatment is necessary as 30 to 50% of all warts disappear within six months of their appearance when children have them. Warts can take longer to disappear in adults, as long as up to 2 years.

Treatment may be needed for warts if they are really unsightly causing distress for the individual, are spreading to other individuals, and are painful or itchy. There are a number of over-the-counter remedies that can speed the process of healing and do not need a prescription. They come in all forms including gels, creams, paints and medicated plasters. You can usually find them in the pharmacy or located near the pharmacy.

The main ingredient in these preparations is salicylic acid. The preparation destroys the thick skin of the wart and is rubbed off using a pumice stone or other abrasive material. When treating a wart, it is necessary to protect the healthy skin surrounding the wart, as the preparation will also damage that skin if it comes in contact with it. You can use petroleum jelly to product the healthy skin.

These over-the-counter treatments are usually repeated daily after washing the skin. Rub off the dead skin once a week. Do not continue to use any product that causes the skin to become irritated. You can re-start the treatment in a few days after the skin has healed.

Those individuals who have diabetes, poor circulation or have large warts should not use these over-the-counter preparations.

Other ways to remove a wart: Silver nitrate pencil (also an over-the-counter preparation)

Duct tape can be used during the day and taken off at night. Use an abrasive to rub off any dead skin. The tape has to be applied for several weeks to achieve the desired affect.

Common warts often respond well to these old fashioned methods of removal.

Crush a garlic clove and apply the garlic to the wart. Cover with a band-aid for 24 hours.  Blisters should form on the wart and it will fall off in about a week.

Make a paste of castor oil and baking soda.  Apply the paste to the wart and cover with a bandage.  Put it on at night before bed.  This usually takes a few weeks for the wart to fall off.

Another folk medicine is to milk the stem of a dandelion onto the wart in the morning and evening.

Aloe vera gel and tea tree oil have had some success as well.

You should consider that if the wart is removed by external means, the body will not have a chance to build up an immunity to the virus and you may see more warts.

Cryotherapy is a freezing system that can be purchased by or in pharmacies.

Seek the advice of a doctor if the wart does not heal with conventional treatment.

Surgery on large warts may be done if chemical treatment fails. A small curette is used to scrape the wart away. This procedure will leave a scar and there may be danger of spreading the wart virus when using this method, so it is used as a last resort.

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