Warts

Warts are small growths on the skin that are caused by viruses. They are usually benign and affect hands and feet in particular. Warts occur more frequently in children than in adults. Although they are harmless, they are contagious and annoying. Our dermatologists can help you. We have a range of suitable therapies for the removal of warts.

C. Bettina Rümmelein, M.D., Specialist in Dermatology & Venereology
C. Bettina Rümmelein, M.D., Specialist in Dermatology & Venereology
Symptoms

Warts symptoms

Warts, also known as skin growths, are common skin conditions that can appear anywhere on the body. There are many different types of warts that can vary in appearance. At Hautwerk, we specialize in the treatment of warts and are happy to help you remove these unwanted skin growths.

The most common forms are vulgar warts, also known as common or Prickly warts. These protruding nodules have a hard skin layer and are mainly found on the hands and feet. Plantar warts on the other hand, are warts that have grown inward as a result of pressure, usually on the soles of the feet, and can be painful to walk or touch. Flat warts often appear on the face and hands and are much less raised than ordinary warts.


Photos and videos

Causes

Warts causes

Warts, medically known as verrucae vulgares, can occur at any age. Warts are usually transmitted from person to person. However, children and adolescents are most commonly affected, with the disease peak between the ages of 15 and 18, when almost one in three people have warts on their bodies. Most warts are caused by an infection with human papillomaviruses, which can penetrate the skin through injuries and multiply there.

A separate category is formed by the so-called false warts. These warts are not caused by human papillomaviruses, which are responsible for the common forms of warts, such as vulgar warts or genital warts. At Age warts, medical seborrheic keratoses called, the cause is still unclear. Dell warts are a special type of wart and occur especially in younger children. They are caused by the molluscum contagiosum virus.

For prophylaxis, it is important to ensure good blood circulation and freedom from injury to the skin. For age warts, the therapy of choice is gentle removal, for which an erbium laser is best suited.

Treatment

Warts treatment

We have a wide range of treatments at our disposal: We combine ablation using ring knives or lasers, local wart medication and icing therapy (cryotherapy).

Laser treatment

Laser treatment is an effective method of wart removal. By using the laser, the cornea of the warts can be removed, which is especially important because the viruses hide under this thick layer of skin. Here we prefer the use of the Erbium Laserswhich is a very gentle option and is especially preferred for children and adolescents.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy, also known as icing, is another treatment method. Although it is somewhat painful, it also has a destructive and immunostimulating effect. We therefore use this treatment with liquid nitrogen in almost every treatment to ensure effective wart treatment.

Completely new on the market and also available at Hautwerk is therapy with a microwave probe (Swift).

In principle, warts can heal spontaneously and without scarring after weeks to years, this happens in about 25% of cases. Nevertheless, you should not wait for this, because on the one hand you infect other people and on the other hand also just warts around the fingernails can deform them.

The best way to prevent it is to protect your skin well. Avoid your children wearing shoes in which they have sweaty feet. Check your own, but especially your children's feet regularly, because individual warts are relatively easy to remove, while entire beds of warts are difficult to combat.

Warts must not and should not be cut out. This is painful and can cause considerable scarring and is also not a safe removal method because the wart viruses are so small that they can only be seen under an electron microscope. A relapse is therefore easily possible due to a remaining remnant.

Do not be afraid, the modern removal methods are very painless and are reasonable even for small children.

Frequently asked questions

Warts Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get rid of warts permanently?

Yes, warts are a viral infection, but you can remove warts permanently.

How do I choose the right wart treatment for my skin type and condition?

We recommend professional consultation with a dermatologist. The therapy depends on the localization of the wart. Warts can appear on fingers and nails or under soles of feet as so-called plantar warts. Warts can also grow in the middle of the skin, on the arm, on the abdomen or on the face and depending on the localization, the optimal therapy must be chosen that leaves as few scars as possible.

What can I expect during a wart removal procedure?

In Hautwerk we currently offer all patients the most modern therapy with microwave probes (SWIFT). This treatment is slightly painful for a short time, but it is well tolerated without any anesthesia and needs to be performed only once a month. On average, it takes three to four treatments until the patient's own immune system is stimulated and the warts heal. Alternatively, the wart can be treated with the classical methods, ablation/ icing/ tinctures. Since the warts are stuck in the skin, a completely painless treatment is hardly possible, but the treatments are also tolerated by children without any problems.

What is the healing process for wart removal?

After the treatment, you may feel a slight pain for minutes to hours. However, you can go about your normal daily life unhindered. Sometimes the areas bleed slightly after ablation, so a band-aid is necessary and the wound should be kept clean. Visiting indoor swimming pools, doing gymnastics barefoot etc. is not advisable because you will infect others. The classic wart therapy is performed once a week, the SWIFT method only once a month.

How long does it take to see the results of wart removal?

This is quite different because although we destroy a part of the wart with the treatment, the complete removal of the wart is done by its own immune system and it cannot be predicted when it will "kick in".

Are there any risks or side effects associated with wart removal treatments?

Side effects would be the pain and side effects would be infection if the wound is not kept clean. Scars occur very rarely and only with very high dose treatments.

What kind of aftercare is required after wart removal?

Actually, there is no need for aftercare. Patients can support the treatment by applying a wart solution daily.

What are the advantages of professional wart removal in our clinic?

Our patients often tell us that they have tried to treat their warts themselves for months - without success. During this time the warts can multiply and you can infect others - especially family members. Among other things, we can also use modern therapy methods to effectively combat warts.
Further information

Further information

Publications
Therapeutic management of extragential and genital warts.
Eichner, S./Rümmelein, B. / Praxis Depesche, Issue 4/20: 58-63
Publications
Extragenital and genital warts: human papillomavirus infections and their therapeutic management.
Rümmelein, B/Eichner, S. / Aesthetic Dermatology skinMAG, Issue 03/19: 10-14
Publications
Laser tip: Warts? That does not have to be!
Rümmelein, B. / SZD 5/2017
Article
Wart treatment with laser
Skin work

Further information

Publications
Therapeutic management of extragential and genital warts.
Eichner, S./Rümmelein, B. / Praxis Depesche, Issue 4/20: 58-63
Publications
Extragenital and genital warts: human papillomavirus infections and their therapeutic management.
Rümmelein, B/Eichner, S. / Aesthetic Dermatology skinMAG, Issue 03/19: 10-14
Publications
Laser tip: Warts? That does not have to be!
Rümmelein, B. / SZD 5/2017
Article
Wart treatment with laser
Skin work