Wart Removal Tampa

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Call (813) 855-0111 to schedule your consultation.

What is a Wart?

Looking for wart removal in Tampa, FL? Warts are simply growths on the skin. While harmless, they are aesthetically displeasing. They can develop anywhere on the body, and they may look different according to where they grow. In general, warts are hard, small, skin-colored bumps with a rough surface that may have specs caused by blood vessels. 

However, they can differ in whether they are visible or not, as well. Warts will protrude if they are on a surface that doesn’t get much pressure, like the backs of the hands or the arms. You may not see warts that grow on the feet’ soles, called plantar warts, as the pressure of standing and walking pushes them inward. They generally have no symptoms unless they are plantar warts, which cause the painful sensation of walking on rocks.

wart removal miami scaled

What Causes Warts?

Despite what your mother told you when you were little, warts are not caused by picking up frogs. These otherwise benign growths are caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus. You may know it as HPV. It is thought to be contracted by abrasions, cuts or cracks in the skin and can be as easily contracted on a Tampa beach as in a public shower.

The HPV virus that causes warts is contagious, and there is no cure. It can be transmitted sexually or by casual contact from touching the wart or anything that has come into contact with it. People with compromised immune systems, eczema, those that bite their nails, or people who pull at hangnails are all at an increased risk of getting HPV, particularly if they work with meat or use public facilities often, like showers in gyms. Due to the contagious nature, warts can spread in the same area or other body areas. 

Often, children can develop warts that disappear on their own without any treatment. However, children or adults who have a wart that multiplies or are bothersome or involves pain should see a dermatologist for treatment.

Can Warts Be Prevented?

Since there is no treatment for the HPV virus, we must all concentrate on prevention. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends nine preventive measures to avoid getting warts:

  1. Keep your hands off warts, whether it is yours or someone else’s.
  2. Don’t share towels, washcloths, socks, or personal hygiene devices like razors or nail clippers. 
  3. Clean and cover any wounds, as HPV is everywhere and can be more easily contracted through broken skin.
  4. Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
  5. Keep skin moisturized so that it doesn’t crack.
  6. Keep your fingers out of your mouth—no nail or cuticle biting.
  7. Wear flip flops, shower shoes, or other water footwear in locker rooms, public showers, or pool areas where warm moist conditions, like are found all around Tampa and Miami, create the ideal conditions for the virus that leads to plantar warts.
  8. Get the HPV vaccine, recommended by the FDA for boys and girls as young as nine through the mid-twenties.

How Can Warts Be Treated?

Wart treatment depends on where the wart is located, its size, how long you’ve had it, and the type of skin you have. If you are patient, you can wait to see if the wart goes away on its own. If you don’t want to wait, several methods are available for destroying the wart:

  • Freezing with liquid nitrogen
  • Chemicals applied to the surface or through injections
  • Laser wart removal
  • Electrodesiccation
  • Curettage

A popular DIY method is tape occlusion. However, there is no research to indicate covering a wart with tape makes it go away any faster than just waiting for it to disappear on its own. Warts can continue to spread as you are in the process of removing them, and they can sometimes reoccur after treatment. However, you can safely repeat the same method or try new ones to eradicate the growths.

The most effective way to remove warts in Tampa is through professional treatment. Whether you are looking for facial warts removal, surgical removal of warts on fingers or laser wart removal on other areas of the body, we can help. Contact our office in Tampa to get the best wart removal methods near you. 

Get Wart Removal Treatment in Tampa

At Arviv Medical Aesthetics in Tampa, our primary concerns are your health, safety, and well-being. We understand that having any unwanted growth, even one as harmless as a wart can seem urgent if it affects your self-assurance. Visit us at one of our two Florida offices and let us restore your confidence with a number of services that we can help tailor to fit your individual wants and needs. For a complete list of our Tampa office services, visit our service page or give us a call at 813-855-0111 to schedule an appointment.

 

WART REMOVAL TAMPA

Warts are generally a small, rough growth, typically on a human’s hands or feet but also other locations, and can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. They are caused by a viral infection, specifically by one of the many types of human papilloma viruses.

There are as many as 10 varieties of warts, the most common considered to be the most harmless. It is possible to get warts from others; they are contagious and usually enter the body in an area of broken skin. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can recur.

wart removal before and after

LESION REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS

PRE-LESION REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS

  • Eat well during the weeks prior to surgery. Crash dieting, over-eating or high alcohol intake can greatly affect your overall health and well-being. A healthy, balanced diet is essential.
  • Sun exposure can greatly affect the outcome of your procedure. Avoid any direct sun exposure to the area which will be treated and wear a SPF 30 daily even if the region to be treated is covered by clothing.
  • Smoking can greatly impair your ability to heal. You must be nicotine and smoke-free for at least 4 weeks prior to surgery. You must also be free of any nicotine patch or nicotine-based products for a minimum of 4 weeks prior to surgery.
  • Stop taking or using the following before your surgery:  aspirin and medications containing aspirin, green tea or green tea extracts, ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory agents, estrogen supplements, Vitamin E, Retinoids, St. John’s Wort, Gingko, Garlic Supplements

POST-LESION REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS

  • Leave dressing in place for 24 hours then remove it and leave it off. (If the wound is in an area where it will get bumped or reinjured, you may put a light sterile gauze dressing over the wound for protection).
  • Keep your wound clean and dry. Wash your wound daily with soap and water; pat dry carefully.
  • Use ointment as instructed directly to site. If an antibiotic (by mouth) has been prescribed, take it as instructed.
  • If sutures were used, clean around them once daily with Q-tips and peroxide; then follow the above protocol.
  • Watch for signs of infection:
  • Swelling
  • Excessive redness
  • Drainage
  • Increasing pain
  • Heat at the injury or an increase in temperature by thermometer.
  • Loss of movement
  • Return to have your sutures/stitches removed on the day instructed.
  • Typical symptoms and signs to watch for following the excision of a skin lesion or skin tumor include the following: tingling, burning, redness, tightness at the surgical. These are normal experiences as the skin, tissues and sensory nerves heal. Consistent sharp pain should be reported to our office immediately.

Prices are subject to change and personalized prices will be provided upon consultation.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Evgeniy Kalinocskiy