Warts
A wart is always an unwelcomed visitor to a person’s skin. Luckily, most warts are harmless and not painful. However, without treatment, warts can seem like permanent residents on your skin, as well as an unsightly nuisance. Without treatment, it can take months, even years, for a wart to disappear on its own.
Wart treatments are easily administered and often very effective. If you have a wart that’s been hanging around for a bit too long, or if you have chronic warts, visiting one of our Minnesota clinics is a great place to start. We can work with you to create a warts treatment plan that works.
Wart Causes
Warts are the manifestation of a skin infection caused by a virus. This might make the otherwise benign growth sound scary, but the virus is not often dangerous. Human papilloma virus, also known as HPV, is very common. There are more than 130 types of HPV, and there are approximately 10 different types of warts that care caused by the virus.
The type of HPV that causes these warts invades the body, and the virus’s DNA penetrates the skin cells. The HPV then causes these cells to multiply, pushing them up toward the skin’s surface. Warts appear when cells grow rapidly on the outer layer of skin. This growth, the wart, then becomes a vehicle for HPV to shed, passing the virus to others.
Wart Symptoms
Warts can appear on the skin in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. The surface of a wart can appear round, flat, rough or smooth. Some warts are the same color as your skin, while others may have black specks. They can grow anywhere on the body, though they are most commonly found on the feet, hands, face, legs, and genitalia.
Warts are contagious, which means they can spread to other areas of the body. They can also pass from person to person. Occasionally, warts can cause discomfort, especially when they are located on the bottom of the foot, but they are rarely itchy or painful.
Warts Treatment
Currently, there is no known cure or medication that kills the HPV virus directly. As a result, warts treatments work to treat the infected skin tissue while encouraging the body’s immune system to fight off the virus naturally. There is a wide variety of warts and strands of HPV, which means that wart treatments can vary. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common.
- Laser treatment
- Peeling medicine (salicylic acid)
- Cryotherapy
- Minor surgery
When to See a Dermatologist for Warts
There are many over-the-counter products designed for warts treatment, and many of them work well. However, warts take time to disappear on their own, and sometimes non-prescription-strength wart treatments don’t do the job. If you have a persistent wart, or perhaps chronic warts, the best course of action is to make an appointment with a dermatologist. Only a doctor can provide the prescription-strength treatment necessary to get rid of warts.
Additionally, while most warts are easily recognizable, only an experienced professional can make a diagnosis. A growth that appears to be a wart could be a mole or something more serious. Our dermatologists are equipped to diagnose a range of skin growths, from warts to moles and carcinoma to melanoma. Whether you want your wart removed or suspect it may be something else, we can help.
Contact Us to schedule an appointment or virtual visit today.
*Results may vary per patient. Services vary by location.
Zel Skin & Laser Specialists – Plymouth ★★★★★ on Google5:27pm
Felt COvid safe ... always a great experience working with professionals
Brian brings a unique combination of medical science, clinical expertise, integrity and compassion to his patients. He provides the latest technology available in the field of dermatology but with a personalized touch for each patient. He is highly respected by his colleagues throughout the country for his expertise and sincerity.
Everyone I have met at Zel is amazing!
It is rare to find a dermatologist who is as knowledgeable about the many facets of clinical and cosmetic dermatology as Dr. Zelickson. Because of his knowledge and honesty, doctors worldwide know they can depend on his assessment of new therapies, procedures and medical devices. This, in turn, has made him a much sought–after speaker for the plethora of professional medical society meetings and engagements that we have throughout the year. I am honored to know Dr. Zelickson and consider him a friend to the profession.
Dr. Brian Zelickson was one of our initial Thermage investigators and helped us understand the mechanisms of non–invasive skin tightening. He is a renowned expert on how collagen can affect skin tightening and wrinkle reduction.
Dr. Brian Zelickson is one of this country’s leading laser experts. Not only is he unparalleled as a laser surgeon, it is not an exaggeration to state that his superb research helps determine the future of dermatologic laser surgery.
Dr. Zelickson is a highly regarded skin/light expert in our industry. When Candela looks for both medical and scientific advice for new laser applications, we often turn to him for his counsel. The input he provides us always starts with patient safety and satisfaction. We feel fortunate to be able to tap into Brian as an independent resource. The patients who are treated with Candela devices are often the beneficiaries of Brian’s input to us.
Most patients prefer seeing a doctor who is known for a particular specialty or procedure, but all patients want to see the doctor who invented the procedure or therapy. Dr. Brian Zelickson is one of the most respected physicians in the field of cosmetic dermatology and aesthetic medicine. He has lectured around the world and is one of the most sought–after speakers for all major meetings in dermatology.
I would rate Dr. Zelickson's clinic 10 stars!
We have felt honored to have Dr. Brian Zelickson, a world–renowned dermatologist who is distinguished as a high–quality care physician, serving as the investigator evaluating Syneron non–invasive skin tightening technology
I trained with Dr. Zelickson at Mayo Clinic, and I found him to be a very bright and creative dermatologist and scientist. Later, he was our best advisor when we set up our clinic in the Basque Country in Spain. I call him the ‘paparazzi of dermatology.’ His contribution to our speciality is probably among the best of this century.
Tuve la suerte de conocer al Dr. Brian Zelickson en Minneapolis hace muchos anos y desde entonces acudo regularmente a compartir sus conocimientos. Es un científico honrado, brillante, creativo e innovador. Nunca deja de sorprenderte agradablemente.
Dr. Zelickson is a very well–respected dermatologist, not only in the U.S., but also in Europe. He is famous for being the author of relevant dermatological studies published in many prestigious medical journals and for the improvements he’s made on minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that are being used by dermatologists all over the world.
Our view from Europe of Dr. Brian Zelickson is that he is one of the leading four or five U.S. laser dermatologists. His research contributions, his superb lectures and his expert knowledge of laser skin surgery make him a valued friend, colleague and guest.
Dr. Brian Zelickson is one of the world’s leaders in cutaneous laser surgery. He has performed groundbreaking research over the past decade, advancing the field as well as expertly providing the most up–to–date laser treatments for his patients.
Brian Zelickson is a world–renowned laser expert who helps develop the lasers and treatment parameters used by the rest of the world. He is where others turn to learn the latest techniques in laser surgery. If you want the best treatment available, delivering the best results in the safest environment available, there is no need to look anywhere else.
I have met many laser experts in my 20 years of teaching, lecturing and running a busy practice. There is no one who I respect more than Brian. If I have a clinical question or research idea, Brian is one of the few individuals I call, as I know I can count on his intellect, integrity and common sense.
Dr. Zelickson is one of America’s most knowledgeable laser experts. He has done pioneering work with many of the laser and light–based technologies developed in the world over the last 10 years. He is a giant in the field.
Dr. Zelickson is one of the world’s leaders in the field of lasers for the treatment of the skin. His many years experience in treating thousands of patients with lasers and other medical devices makes him one of the most sought–after doctors in this field. Innovation and caring are his trademarks.