Health Library

The Health Library is a collection of health and wellness resources created for learning and accessibility. Select a topic below for related health information or search for a topic in the search bar for more information on other medical conditions.

Warts

  • Guides you through the decision to have warts or plantar warts removed. Discusses types of treatments and their benefits and risks. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

  • Salicylic acid is available as a paint, cream, plaster, tape, or patch that you put on the wart. Be sure to read and follow the instructions that come with the medicine, or follow your doctor's instructions. Salicylic acid may take weeks to months...

  • Tape occlusion is an inexpensive method of wart removal that involves covering the wart with tape. It is often called the "duct tape" method. Cut a piece of duct tape as close to the size of the wart as possible. Leave the tape in place for 6 days....

  • Cryotherapy involves freezing a wart using a very cold substance (usually liquid nitrogen). Cryotherapy is a standard treatment for warts and can be done in a doctor's office. The liquid nitrogen application usually takes less than a minute. Your doctor may trim the wart with a small knife before applying liquid...

  • Laser surgery uses an intense beam of light, or laser, to burn and destroy the wart tissue. It is usually done in a doctor's office or clinic. Local or general anesthetic may be used, depending on the number of warts to be removed or the size of the area to be treated.

  • Is this topic for you? This topic has information about warts on any part of the body except the genitals. For information about warts on the genitals, see the topic Genital Warts. What are warts, and what causes them? A wart is a skin growth caused by some types of the virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV)...

  • Discusses common skin changes and possible causes. Includes info on skin cancer. Includes home treatment tips for adults and children.

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