A patient undergoing a skin examination and treatment consultation in classical dermatology. A specialist in skin health and skin diseases examines and explains the female patient's skin in the bright rooms of the Frankfurt dermatology practice.

Warts

Treatment of warts

Warts (Latin: verrucae) are potentially contagious, small, sharply defined, benign growths on the upper layer of skin (epidermis). They most commonly appear on the fingers, soles of the feet, face, or genital area. They are widespread, so almost everyone experiences them at some point.

Forms and origin

  1. Viral warts: Warts appear as a localized thickening of the cornea and are caused by a viral infection with human papillomaviruses. Infection in public showers, swimming pools, or other similar facilities is considered the primary cause.
  2. Genital warts (condylomas): Warts, also known as genital warts, can also occur in the genital and anal areas due to strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The infection is usually a result of unprotected sexual intercourse and affects both men and women.
  3. Molluscum contagiosum (water warts): Molluscum contagiosum commonly occurs in childhood and is caused by the poxvirus. Due to the accompanying itching, they spread to multiple parts of the body because of their contagious nature.
  4. Seborrheic keratoses (age spots): These are benign, genetically determined skin growths and are not contagious, as they are caused by a keratinization disorder and not by viruses. They can resemble moles, increase in size over time, and develop a rough, wart-like surface.

Diagnostics

Due to their typical appearance, warts can be quickly assessed based on their clinical presentation. A look through a dermatoscope with optical magnification confirms the suspected diagnosis.

If a genital wart infection is present, it is strongly recommended that a sample be taken to determine the virus strain. In rare cases, certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to malignant changes.

Therapy

The majority of the listed warts are benign and harmless. Infectious warts can multiply and spread without treatment. Our dermatologists use various treatment options to treat viral warts:

  1. Use of tinctures, creams and special plasters
  2. Local corneal ablation and application of acidic tinctures followed by freezing with -180 degree cold nitrogen
  3. Laser treatments for therapy-resistant warts or genital warts
Bare feet of a man walking on a shiny floor. The skin is visible. One foot is on the floor, the other on its toes. A wart is visible on the sole of the foot. The wart is highlighted in red.

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