Warts Specialist

What are warts?

Warts are growths that occur on the top layer of your skin. They’re benign, which means they’re not cancerous and relatively harmless, although they’re not very pretty to look at.

Anyone can get warts, but they’re more common in children and teenagers. You may also be at greater risk of getting warts if you have a weakened immune system or bite or pick at your nails.

What causes warts?

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). You contract the virus through an open cut or sore and once you have a wart on your body, you can easily spread it to other parts of your body.

Warts are also highly contagious and you can pass the virus to another person by holding hands or sharing a towel.

Not picking at your wart may help prevent it from spreading or affecting someone else. Keeping it dry also reduces the risk of the wart spreading.

To reduce your risk of getting warts, the team at SINY® Dermatology recommends you cover your feet when walking at the town pool or in a locker room shower. You should also avoid touching someone else's wart.

What are the different types of warts?

There are a number of different types of warts, including:

• Common warts: grow on hands and fingers and form a rough bump, sometimes with a black spot
• Flat warts: small and flat warts that grow on the face or legs, usually in large numbers
• Foot warts: also known as plantar warts, grow inward on the bottom of your feet and may cause foot pain
• Filiform warts: fast-growing warts that occur on your face and are characterized by thin threads of skin that protrude from the growth

How are warts treated?

The team at SINY® Dermatology offer a range of treatment options to help get rid of your warts, including:

• Chemical treatment
• Liquid nitrogen
• Laser therapy

The team may first try to remove your warts with a chemical treatment, which causes a blister to form under your wart for easy removal.

Liquid nitrogen, also known as cryotherapy, is the most popular method used to treat warts. This type of treatment freezes off the wart and is often used as a method to get rid of common warts.

Laser therapy may be recommended if your warts don’t respond to other treatments.

For more information or to book an appointment, call 800-778-3090 or visit sinyderm.com.

We provide the full spectrum of medical, cosmetic, and laser dermatology at all six of our offices in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Park Slope, Brooklyn, the West Village, and the Upper East Side in Manhattan, Forest Hills, Queens, and Southold on Long Island.