WARTS

By Trevor Shewfelt, Pharmacist at the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy

We now have this and most other articles published in the Parkland Shopper on our Website. Please visit us at http://www.dcp.ca/

The information in this article is intended as a helpful guide only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice. If you have any questions about your medications and what is right for you see your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional.

Be afraid. Be very afraid. There more than 100 different types of human papillomavirus (HPV) just waiting to cause warts on you! Okay, the viruses that cause warts aren’t all that scary, and warts are usually just annoying and not all that pretty bumps on the skin. Let’s look at what warts are.

Warts are a viral infection in the top layers of the skin. Children and young adults are most commonly affected. Handlers of meat, poultry and fish also have a high incidence of warts. It has been estimated that up to 25% of the population will have a wart at some time. Warts are usually spread from direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. It can also be spread with contact with surfaces like communal showers and swimming pool decks. It can take 2 to 6 months from time of infection until the wart appears. Although there is limited proof, some experts think it could take up to 3 years between exposure and wart development.

There are a wide variety of warts, but here’s a look at some of the most common types:
Common warts: These small, raised growths with a rough surface affect five to 10 percent of school-aged children, but adults may also be affected. They are most often found on the fingers, around the fingernails, on the back of the hands or on the face, knees and elbows.
Flat warts: Also known as plane or juvenile warts, these are seen mainly in children, often beginning where a skin break has occurred. The warts are small, slightly raised flat growths that are usually pink or brown and may appear in large numbers.
Genital warts: These are the most serious kind of warts and the most common of all sexually transmitted diseases. They can be smooth or flat, or more raised and rough. Genital warts found on the cervix are a major risk factor for developing cervical cancer. There is a vaccine called Gardasil available now to prevent genital warts. However, this subject will require a whole article itself.
Plantar warts: This less common wart is found on the sole of the foot and sometimes on the palm of the hand. It is fairly flat, mainly because the pressure of standing forces it to remain in that shape. Plantar warts look like large calluses and can be quite painful.

When should you see a doctor and when can you try to treat them yourself? If you have warts on the face or genitals, or if you have flat warts you should get them checked out by your family doctor. People with diabetes or circulatory problems should also not self treat because these people are more likely to have healing problems.

Non-prescription products-which contain salicyclic acid and lactic acid-are available to treat certain warts. Because most over-the-counter (OTC) products contain an acid, they can harm the skin around the wart if not used as instructed. For the salicyclic acid products, which are the most common type, here is how to use them. First soak the wart in warm water for 2-5 minutes. Dry off the wart and the area around it. Then gently remove the top layer of skin from the wart with an emery board, pumice stone or rough wash cloth. If you make the wart bleed, you rubbed too hard, and may actually cause the wart to spread. Apply the salicyclic acid product only to the wart and not to the healthy skin around it. If you are concerned you might not be able to apply the salicylic acid compound only to the wart, protect the health skin with some vaseline ahead of time. Every day you will have to repeat this wart removal process, so most people choose to soak, rub, and apply at bedtime. The wart will turn white and soft over time and you will rub off more and more of it until it goes away.

Recently, freezing products became available over the counter. Two common trade names are Wartner and Compound W Freeze Off. It is not liquid nitrogen like your doctor uses, but accomplishes the same thing. If you remember way back to highschool physics (and you thought you didn’t need physics anymore), and what happens to an expanding gas. When a gas expands, it cools. When a gas expands rapidly, it cools rapidly. These over the counter products allow liquids similar to lighter fluid exand into a gas within an applicator like a Q-tip end. So first warning is that these products are flammable. Second warning is the applicator gets cold. It can get below -55 C. Follow the instructions in the package carefully. Most importantly, don’t freeze the skin around the wart. It will damage your skin.

As always if you have any questions or concerns about these or other products, ask your pharmacist.