Most warts clear up without treatment. However, the time it takes for a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. Warts may last longer in older children and adults.
Without treatment, warts usually clear up within two years, although some can take longer to go. It is also possible for warts to clear up without treatment within a few weeks, although this is less common.
There are several types of treatment that may help clear warts more quickly available. However, some treatments can be painful, and there is no guarantee that the warts will not come back again. Treatment can sometimes cause side effects including:
- irritated skin around the wart,
- pain, and
- blistering.
Treatment options for warts depend on their location and how many there are.
Salicylic acid
Many over-the-counter (OTC) treatments, such as creams, gels, paints and medicated plasters, are available from pharmacies. The active ingredient in most of these treatments is salicylic acid. In two-thirds of cases, research has shown that warts clear up within 12 weeks of treatment with salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid and other wart treatments also destroy healthy skin, so it is important to protect your skin before applying the treatment. Use petroleum jelly or a corn plaster to cover your skin around the wart.
Soak the wart in water for about five minutes, and then follow the instructions on the packet to apply the medication. Some GPs recommend putting a plaster on the wart after you have applied the medication.
Rub the dead tissue off the wart once a week, using a pumice stone or emery board (do not share these with anyone else).
You may need to apply the treatment daily for up to 12 weeks, or longer. Stop the treatment if your skin becomes sore.
For warts on your face, avoid treatments containing salicylic acid and seek your GP’s advice about treatment.
If you have poor circulation (for example, if you have a condition such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease) you should seek your GP’s advice before using over-the-counter treatments containing salicylic acid. This is because there is an increased risk of damage to your skin, nerves and tendons.
Treatment with duct tape
There is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of treatment with duct tape. Side effects are uncommon. Using duct tape on the face is not recommended because it can irritate your skin.
Treatment involves covering the wart with a piece of duct tape (adhesive tape) for six days, and then removing it. You then soak the wart in warm water for five minutes and gently rub the dead tissue off using an emery board or pumice stone (do not share these with anyone else).
You should leave the wart uncovered overnight and apply a fresh piece of tape the following day. Treatment should be continued for up to two months.
Cryotherapy
In cryotherapy, very cold liquid such as nitrogen is sprayed on to the wart to freeze and destroy the cells. A sore blister develops, followed by a scab, which falls off seven to 10 days later.
Treatment usually takes between five and 15 minutes and can be painful, so you might need a local anaesthetic beforehand.
Cryotherapy treatment is usually carried out at hospital skin clinics, or at your GP surgery. Large warts sometimes need to be frozen several times, a week or so apart, before they clear.
If you have a wart on your face, your GP may recommend cryotherapy treatment because the risk of irritation is lower than using salicylic acid or duct tape.
A very cold spray (dimethyl-ether/propane) is also available from pharmacies, which you can apply yourself. Do not use this spray on your face.
Treatment for warts during pregnancy
If you are pregnant and you have warts, your GP may consider treatment using duct tape, cryotherapy or salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid may be used to treat warts during pregnancy, as long as it is used on a small area for a limited period of time. However, you may prefer to wait until after the birth before considering treatment.
Surgery
Warts are not normally treated with surgery because they often come back afterwards. Surgery also usually causes scarring.
If surgery to remove warts is recommended, it will usually be carried out under general or local anaesthetic. Warts can be cut out of the skin (which can be useful if you have a few, large warts), or the skin of the wart can be scraped off using a spoon-like instrument called a curette. The aim of surgical treatment is to remove all traces of the warts.
Other surgical options include:
- laser treatment, where the wart is destroyed using a very precise laser beam,
- electrocautery, where the wart is burnt off using an electric current, and
- photodynamic therapy, where the wart cells absorb a chemical that destroys them when activated by light (usually from a laser).
Some of these treatments may not be available on the NHS.
Chemical treatments
Treatments containing chemicals such as formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and podophyllin can be used to remove warts. These chemicals are poisonous to skin cells, and are dabbed onto the warts in order to kill the skin cells there. Chemical treatments are available on prescription.
