The Scoop on Wart Treatment or HPV Treatment from a Memphis Dermatologist

by George Woodbury Jr. M.D. (12/26/2024)

Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury — Cordova Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury

Warts – also called Verruca Vulgaris – are a common skin problem that brings patients to Dermatologists like myself. So let’s take a look at what warts are, how we diagnose the condition of warts (or HPV), and options for wart treatment, my perspective being that of a Memphis Dermatologist since 1993, with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, (8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN 38018: 1-901-753-0168).

Patient with a Verruca Vulgaris or Common Wart on his hand — A Hand Wart can become Hand Warts because left untreated can spread

A wart is actually a type of skin infection with a virus that a person picks up from another person who has had a wart. The condition can also be called a type of skin HPV, for Human Papilloma Virus, the type of DNA virus that causes warts. Other types of Papillomavirus lead to infections of the cervix, the entry area to the uterus, and can even be implicated in the development of cervical cancer or cancer of the oropharynx.

A Wart is also known as a Verruca Vulgaris — Common Warts are generally flesch-colored growths on the hands, feet, or the body or face

It's now possible for Pathologists to find out from biopsy testing what "strain" or "type" of HPV is causing a particular patient's HPV infection. Certain HPV types are considered high risk of causing cancer, particularly penile cancer in men or cervical cancer in women. The highest risk for cancer tends to come from HPV 16 and 18, but also HPVs 31, 33, 35, and 39, and certain other types. Furthermore, there is now a highly effective Gardasil-9 vaccine available - best administered as two doses to children ages 11-13 - for prevention of genital HPV infection and to cut down on cervical cancer development in women and oropharyngeal cancer in men - though this vaccine is not strong enough to stimulate the immune system to treat established HPV infection.

Cordova Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury doing a Skin Cancer Screening — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury checking a patient for Warts and Skin Cancer

Many Dermatologists diagnose warts simply by visual inspection, though if we are unsure whether a given lesion is a wart, we often remove it under a shot of local anesthetic, such as a shot of local Lidocaine, to get the lesion diagnosed by the Dermatopathology Laboratory. This type of test is called a “wart excision,” which is a type of “skin biopsy.” It generally takes one week to several weeks to get the results back from the laboratory.

Dermatologist evaluating a patient for Warts and Skin Cancer — Dermatologist doing a Skin Cancer Screening for Melanoma and Warts or Verrucae vulgares

If a Dermatologic Surgeon like myself sees a lesion that appears to be a wart but suspects the possible development of a type of Skin Cancer, called a Squamous Cell Carcinoma, we generally cut the lesion or growth out, to get the diagnosis checked the lab. We Dermatologic Surgeons sometimes use a technique called Mohs Surgery, or Mohs Micrographic Surgery, to be able to check the margins of the specimen cut out, if a biopsy confirms early Squamous Cell Carcinoma. We want to evaluate the margins of the tissue, to make sure that those margins are clear of cancer.

Plantar Warts are also called Verrucae Plantaris — Plantar warts are the types that occur on the bottom of the hand or foot

What are the types of warts?

The most common type of Wart is what’s called https://www.rheumderm.com/warts https://www.rheumderm.com/warts , or Verrucae Vulgares. These growths can occur on any part of the body, as raised bumps, especially common on the hands and feet, or the arms and legs. The virus can be spread through shaving, so that one wart can easily become five warts, or even ten warts. So early treatment is often very helpful in the management of warts.

Plantar Warts can become quite thick and more difficult to clear with treatment - so early intervention is key to curing warts — Warts are sometimes also called Seed Warts because they have small blood vessels of capillaries within themselves

Another common type of Wart is called a Plantar Wart, or Verruca Plantaris, meaning that the lesion occurs on the bottom of the hand or foot.

A Cordova Dermatologist is also a Memphis Dermatologist — Cordova Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury counsels a patient about Warts

Another type of wart is one that develops beside the fingernail or toenail, making it into a “Periungual Wart.” Sometimes these periungual warts can grow underneath the toenail or fingernail, making them more difficult to treat, and at higher risk of growing back or ‘recurring.”

The most common anatomic location for Melanoma in men is the back and chest — Dermatologist going a Skin Cancer Screening to check for Melanoma and Warts

What populations are at higher risk of Warts?

Anyone can develop a Wart, but people with family members with Warts are definitely at higher risk of this infection. Furthermore, people who have close contact with other people, such as athletes, people living in dormitories, and people in prisons seem to be at higher risk, as well as people who are barefoot in communal showers or people who have sex with more than one sexual partner, possibly through increased skin-to-skin contact. I’ve certainly had many children coming for treatment of Warts who have been in ballet, TaeKwondo, karate, and kick boxing, because these individuals tend to pick up warts from other dancers.

Warts can occur on any part of the body but the hands and feet are high risk, as is the genital area — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury examines a patient for Warts or Verrucae

What can be done for Wart Treatment?

The most common approach used by Dermatologists is what’s called Cryotherapy, application of liquid nitrogen, a very cold liquid that causes the wart or warts to blister, then to heal. This treatment often has to be done on more than one occasion.

Plantar warts can become quite thick and more tricky to clear - so early intervention is quite helpful — Plantar Wart on the bottom of a person's finger

Another Wart Treatment option used by the Dermatologic Surgeon is to cut out or “excise” the wart tissue, to get it evaluated by the laboratory. Even this treatment often has to be done more than once, because the wart tissue can sometimes grow back. Sometimes we cut out the wart – particularly deep or thick warts – then follow-up with a cryotherapy treatment several weeks later. Dermatologists often prefer to use cryotherapy first, because it often has a lower risk of leaving a scar.

Imiquimod Cream can be used for medical wart treatment — Wart Treatment can be medical or surgical

Nonsurgical options include prescription imiquimod cream, prescription Condylox Gel (podophyllotoxin), over-the-counter salicylic acid products (such as Wart Off or Compound W), and prescription Tretinoin Cream or Gel (Retin A Cream or Gel). Sometimes we use a series of injections with interferon, or even a series of injections with Candida Antigen. And some Dermatologists use different types of laser therapy or laser treatments for Warts.

Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury with Big River Silk Skincare staff

Be aware that I am also President of Big River Silk™ Skincare, an organic skincare company that distributes a helpful deep cleanser that’s helpful in keeping the skin healthy: AmberSoy™ Soap Gel.

AmberSoy Soap Gel can be used as an Acne Mask for people with Oily Skin or Combination Skin — AmberSoy Soap Gel is an Acne Wash

We also manufacture and distribute a best skin cream moisturizer (HypoShea Moisturizer Cream and HypoShea Oil).

HypoShea is Fragrance-free moisturizer and propylene glycol-free moisturizer — HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion uses Refined Shea Butter as its gentle skin lubricant

We also manufacture an Antiwrinkle Cream called GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion and GlycoShea Facial&Neck Cream, which is helpful for patients with rough skin from Warts or a condition called Keratosis Pilaris. Check out Big River Silk Skincare out at https://www.Bigriversilkskincare.com.

GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid Glycolic Acid — GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion is an Antiwrinkle Cream because of its Glycolic Acid

So if you or a family member or friend has a suspicious lesion, or any type of growth that may be a Wart of Verruca, consider seeing a Board-certified Dermatologist for a Skin Cancer Screening. My own Memphis Dermatology practice since 1993 has been with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, 8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN 38018 (1-901-753-0168). Or you can find a “Dermatologist Near Me” or a “Best Dermatologist Near Me” by going to the American Academy of Dermatology web site, www.AAD.org, then plugging your zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab. Don’t delay. Get examined today! It could save your life, if the growth or lesion is actually a type of Skin Cancer called Melanoma or Malignant Melanoma because you can then get the growth treated early.