There are over 150 different subtypes of the human papilloma virus (HPV) responsible for warts. Certain types of the virus are more likely to cause warts on different parts of the body. Warts occur more commonly on areas of skin that are likely to be damaged, such as fingers, elbows, knees and the face. Although warts can be unsightly and embarrassing for people who have them, the common type of wart generally causes no harm and most will eventually disappear by themselves within six months to two years.

A variety of creams, gels, paints and medicated plasters are available from pharmacies. Most of these contain salicylic acid as their active ingredient, which works by destroying the thickened skin which makes up the wart. Once destroyed this skin can be rubbed off with an abrasive board or pumice stone. Silver nitrate is another non-prescription treatment that also burns away warts.

In addition to 'over-the-counter' medications there are several other chemical treatments that are available on prescription including formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and podophyllin.

One of the most common treatments for warts is Cryotherapy which uses a spray of liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. Once treated a blister develops, followed by a scab, which falls off a week to ten days later, removing the wart. The risks form cryotherapy include scarring, ulceration, or pigment alteration.

Often medical practitioners will surgically remove the wart using a curette to scrape the wart away. With all surgery there is the possibility of scarring and in addition surgical removal of the wart carries a small risk of spreading the virus.

Laser treatment of warts/veruccae is an effective alternative to traditional treatments and is particularly suitable for large or widespread warts or verucca or warts/veruccae that have failed to respond to traditional treatments.

Fotona's Nd:YAG range of lasers are an effective way of removing warts/veruccae since they target the dilated blood vessels at the base of the wart as well as effectively destroying the virus and disinfecting the surrounding tissue.

In most cases warts/veruccae that are treated with lasers are permanently removed after one treatment. In contrast to surgical removal, laser treatment causes no scarring, and generally requires no anesthesia making it particularly suitable for the treatment of children. Alternatively an erbium laser can be used to gently remove the wart micron layer by micron layer. Clinical results show that there is no presence of the DNA of the virus that causes warts/veruccae in the plume of the laser meaning that there is no risk that the treatment will spread the virus.

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