Soak the area with the wart for 10-15 minutes in warm water in your shower, bath, or a basin. Gently file away dead skin over the wart with a pumice stone or emery board. Apply the salicylic acid gel, cream, or patch directly to the wart. Do this 1-2 times daily for 12 weeks. Use a patch that can stay in place for several days if you’re treating an especially stubborn wart or one that’s located in an area with very thick skin, like the bottom of your heel. Avoid getting the salicylic acid in your eyes, nose, or mouth, and immediately rinse it away if it gets into one of these areas. [3] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source Ask your doctor before using it if you have neuropathy or another condition that limits sensation in your hands or feet.
You can get a foot file or pumice stone in any drugstore. [6] X Expert Source R. Sonia Batra, MD, MSc, MPHBoard Certified Dermatologist Expert Interview. 19 February 2021 When choosing duct tape, use the standard silver kind, which you can get in most hardware or office supply stores. Other types, such as transparent duct tape, may not be as effective. Expose the wart to the air for 3-4 hours after filing off the layers of dead skin. Reapply the duct tape after this. Continue this treatment of duct tape and filing until the wart is completely gone. Some people combine duct tape with other treatments, such as salicylic acid or cryotherapy. Using a combination of treatments may be more effective than any 1 treatment alone. [7] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, use a mixture of 2 parts lemon juice and 1 part water instead.
You can also try using an oral zinc supplement, which may help by boosting your immune system and helping your body fight the virus that causes mosaic warts. Ask your doctor to recommend a dose, but generally 15mg per day is safe and effective for both kids and adults. [10] X Research source
Most of these kits come with a foam applicator that you will use to apply the chemical mixture to the wart. While home cryotherapy treatments are usually safe if you follow the directions, there’s a small risk of scarring, burns, or infection. Call your doctor if you notice symptoms such as increasing pain, redness, or swelling, red streaks spreading away from the area, a discharge of pus, or a fever. Freezing treatments can be flammable and shouldn’t be used near any fires, flames, heat sources such as curling irons, or lit cigarettes.
Mosaic warts tend to be fairly painless compared to regular plantar warts. However, they can sometimes hurt or cause discomfort when you walk. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source If this is the case, you might want to get them removed rather than wait. If you’re on the fence about whether to treat the warts or wait, also keep in mind that treatment can help prevent the warts from spreading (either to other people or other parts of your own body) and may reduce their chances of coming back.
Wearing shoes in common areas such as public showers, changing rooms, or swimming pools. Not sharing towels, shoes, socks, or foot files with other people. Refraining from touching, scratching, or picking at your warts. If you do touch them, wash your hands with soap and water afterwards. Keeping your feet dry and wearing clean shoes and socks.
A doctor will diagnose the warts by examining them. In some cases, they might shave off a small amount of the wart with a scalpel. This can help them spot telltale dots under the surface of the skin (tiny, clotted blood vessels), or they may wish to send a sample to the lab for testing. To spot mosaic warts, look for clusters of white, pinhead-sized bumps on the bottoms of your feet or toes. These warts are similar to plantar warts, but they tend to be flatter and may spread over a large area (like the entire sole of your foot). [16] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Warts can sometimes be confused with similar-looking growths, like corns or even (rarely) skin cancer. This is why it’s a good idea to get possible warts checked out if you’re not sure.
If your wart is bleeding or you notice changes in its size, appearance, or color, see your doctor to rule out something more serious (such as skin cancer). Call your doctor about a wart right away if you have an underlying medical condition that affects your immune system or affects the sensation in your feet, such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or a weakened immune system due to medications.
Imiquimod (Aldara), a cream that stimulates the immune system to attack the wart tissue. Typically, your doctor will instruct you to apply the cream once a day, 3 days a week. This treatment may last for up to 16 weeks, or until the warts heal. [19] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source 5-fluorouracil cream (5-FU), a chemotherapy drug. This medication is especially effective when combined with other treatments, like salicylic acid or duct tape. [20] X Trustworthy Source DermNet NZ Online clinical resource website written and run by dermatologists providing evidence-based information about dermatology and skin health Go to source
Your doctor will first shave the dead skin off the surface of the wart. Then, they will apply the acid with a toothpick. You may experience burning or stinging in the skin around the wart. Some doctors recommend combining this treatment with salicylic acid treatments at home.
In some cases, your doctor may apply a numbing agent to the wart before dabbing or spraying on the liquid nitrogen. They may also try to cut away some of the wart tissue first with a scalpel. You may need up to 4 treatments to get rid of the wart completely. Typically, there will be a break of 1-3 weeks between each treatment. You’ll likely develop a blister over the wart, which may be painful for the first 3 days after the treatment. The area should heal up in 7-14 days.
Oral retinoids, such as isotretinoin, are effective at treating a wide variety of skin conditions, including stubborn warts. [24] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source However, these medications can cause severe side effects, such as skin infections, joint pain, and eye inflammation. They’re also associated with a high risk of birth defects, so don’t take this medication if you’re pregnant or could become pregnant. [25] X Trustworthy Source March of Dimes Nonprofit organization devoted to improving the lives of mothers and babies. Go to source Cimetidine is a medication that is usually used to treat acid reflux. However, it has also been shown to be helpful in treating warts. Most people tolerate it well, but it can cause side effects, such as headaches, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, and fatigue. [26] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Alternatively, your doctor might try injecting a chemotherapy drug called bleomycin into the wart. There’s limited evidence that these therapies actually work, and they can also cause a variety of side effects. Your doctor will probably want to try other approaches before turning to injections.
The wound from a laser treatment may be painful for a few days. To minimize pain during the procedure, your doctor may apply a local anesthetic. Call your doctor if you experience complications after a laser treatment, such as severe pain, bleeding that lasts longer than 1 week, or signs of an infection (including a fever, pus or yellow discharge from the wound, and increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, or tenderness around the wound).
Your doctor will apply a local anesthetic to numb the area around the wart. They will then scrape away the tissue of the wart with a surgical tool called a curette. Once the wart is removed, they will apply electricity to the wound with a needle-like instrument. This will help destroy any remaining wart tissue and stop the bleeding. Because of the pain and scarring associated with this procedure, it’s best to use it as a last resort. If possible, use other options if your warts are located on the soles of your feet. [30] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
