WART REMOVAL
Removal of Wart
A wart (also known as verruca) is generally a small, rough tumor, typically on hands and feet but often other locations, that can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. Warts are common, and are caused by a viral infection, specifically by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious when in contact with the skin of an infected person. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects used by an infected person. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can recur.
Sometimes a dermatofibroma is confused with a mole. The way to tell the difference between the two is to pinch the bump. If you pinch a dermatofibroma it creates a dimple because it is attached to the underlying subcutaneous tissue. On the other hand, if you pinch a mole, it projects up away from the skin.
Common treatments for warts (acrochordons) and seborrheic keratoses are cryotherapy and shave excision. Referral is indicated if the family physician is not confident with the diagnostic evaluation or treatment of a lesion, or if a biopsy reveals melanoma.
For further information or research see the links below:
Family physicians frequently encounter patients with dermatologic diseases, either as the primary complaint or as a “by the way.” Therefore, the ability to accurately diagnose and treat benign skin lesions is an important skill that family physicians should possess. Options for evaluating patients with benign skin tumors can be categorized according to the morphologic characteristics of each lesion: macular or slightly raised/papular (Figure 1), papular (Figure 2), or subepidermal (Figure 3).
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| Approach to Benign Skin Tumors (Subepidermal) | ||
NOTE: Selected common skin tumors included. Many other less common entities exist. |
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| FIGURE 3. Algorithm for the diagnosis of benign skin tumors (subepidermal). | ||
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Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database by Environmental Working Group
WebMD Healthcare information site
PubMed: PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 19 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to 1948. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources.
www.health.gov is a portal to the Web sites of a number of multi-agency health initiatives and activities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other Federal departments and agencies
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Healthfinder.gov - daily health news, quick guide to healthy living, sponsored by the National Health Information Center
Medline Plus - Health Information - A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
