Warts Specialist
Podiatry Institute of Southern California
Albert A. Nejat, DPM, FACFAS
Podiatrist located in Culver City, CA
If you’re suffering from warts, you may think you can’t get rid of these unsightly, uncomfortable growths. While warts don’t always need to be removed, many people choose to remove them because of the discomfort they cause or because of their appearance. If you’re ready to make your warts a thing of the past, call Dr. Albert Nejat at the Podiatry Institute of Southern California in Culver City, California. Call today to make an appointment or use the online scheduling tool.
Warts Q & A
What are warts?
Warts are small growths or patches of raised, bumpy skin and can be unsightly, uncomfortable, or painful. Warts form when a viral infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) comes in contact with your skin.
There are over 100 types of HPV virus, each affecting the body in a slightly different way. Almost 10% of children will develop warts at some point, while adults most commonly notice them between the ages of 25 and 45. Plantar warts are the most common kind of wart on your feet, usually occurring on your heel or other weight-bearing parts of your foot.
How do you contract warts?
A wart occurs when HPV comes in contact with your skin and causes infection. This more often occurs on broken skin, so be careful if you have a small cut on your feet or if you have a hangnail. Children are more likely to get warts than adults, and some people seem to have a predisposition to infection from HPV that makes warts appear more often.
Warts are contagious, so touching a wart directly can spread the virus but so can sharing a towel or bath mat with someone who has warts. Warts can also spread from one part of your body to another, so make sure to wash your hands after any time you touch a wart.
How are warts treated?
When you visit Dr. Nejat for examination, the first step is confirming that it’s just warts and not something more serious.
Dr. Nejat offers treatment for warts during your very first visit providing a number of options to choose from. The most common include using a topical medication containing salicylic acid, which removes the wart one layer at a time. Cryotherapy, or freezing warts, is also a popular option. Freezing warts causes them to blister and slough off over time. This may take a few treatments to complete, but offers a solution to stubborn warts.
Dr. Nejat is an expert in removing warts safely, quickly and with as little hassle or discomfort as possible. If you’re tired of unsightly or uncomfortable warts, call the Podiatry Institute of Southern California today to learn more, or make an appointment online.