Admin Table of Contents
Should I go to the doctor for a wart on my finger?
In adults, warts may not disappear as easily or as quickly as they do in children. Although most warts are harmless, dermatologists do treat them. You should see a dermatologist if you cannot get rid of the warts, the warts hurt, or you have many warts. Dermatologists have many treatments for warts.
What happens if a wart goes untreated?
Most warts will persist for one to two years if they are left untreated. Eventually, the body will recognize the virus and fight it off, causing the wart to disappear. While they remain, however, warts can spread very easily when people pick at them or when they are on the hands, feet or face.
How do you know a wart is serious?
You should see your doctor if:
- you have warts on your face or another sensitive part of your body (e.g., genitals, mouth, nostrils)
- you notice bleeding or signs of infection, such as pus or scabbing, around a wart.
- the wart is painful.
- the color of the wart changes.
What do you do when you notice a wart?
Most warts can handled at home:
- Soak the wart in warm water, and then remove dead skin on the surface of the wart with an emery board (that’s never going to be used for nails) before applying the medicine.
- Keep the area of the wart covered while the medicine works.
- Don’t rub, scratch, or pick at the wart.
Why am I getting a wart on my finger?
Warts on the fingers commonly occur from biting fingernails or picking at hangnails. The wart virus has no cure, so warts can return at the same spot or appear somewhere else. However, you can treat warts yourself at home with salicylic acid or receive treatment from a dermatologist — or they may go away on their own.
Does a wart on my finger mean I have HPV?
A: Common warts are caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which is an umbrella term for over 100 types of viruses. Certain strains of HPV can cause common warts to develop on the hands, fingers and other non-genital areas of the body.