Warts are non-cancerous skin growths that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They appear when the virus infects the top layer of skin. If you cut or damage your skin, it may increase your likelihood of contracting HPV.
In most cases, common warts appear on the fingers, near the fingernails, or on the hands. Certain types of HPV can also cause warts to appear in the genital area.
If you have a wart that has not gone away after some time, it hurts, or if you have multiple warts, consider seeing a Clearlyderm dermatologist for warts.
Common warts usually grow on your fingers and toes, but can appear elsewhere. They have a rough, grainy appearance and a rounded top. Common warts are grayer than the surrounding skin.
Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet. Unlike other warts, plantar warts grow into your skin, not out of it. You can tell if you have a plantar wart if you notice what appears to be a small hole in the bottom of your foot that is surrounded by hardened skin. Plantar warts can make walking uncomfortable.
Flat warts usually grow on the face, thighs or arms. They are small and not immediately noticeable. Flat warts have a flat top, as if they have been scraped. They can be pink, brownish or slightly yellow.
Filiform warts grow around your mouth or nose and sometimes on your neck or under your chin. They are small and shaped like a tiny flap or tag of skin. Filiform warts are the same color as your skin.
Periungual warts grow under and around the toenails and fingernails. They can be painful and affect nail growth.
Warts, while typically harmless, are contagious. To avoid spreading it to someone else or to other parts of your body, keep your wart covered and wash your hands after touching it.
Wart Removal Services
If you have a healthy immune system, warts will often go away on their own, without treatment. This is especially true when children get warts. In adults, however, warts may not disappear as easily or as quickly. Although most warts are harmless, Clearlyderm’s dermatologists can help you remove them. There are several ways to do that, depending on your age, health and the type of wart.
Here are some of Clearlyderm’s wart removal services:
Cantharidin: A dermatologist may treat a wart in the office by “painting” it with cantharidin. Cantharidin causes a blister to form under the wart. In a week or so, you can return to the office and the dermatologist will clip away the dead wart.
Cryotherapy: For common warts in adults and older children, cryotherapy (freezing) is the most common treatment. This treatment is not too painful. It can cause dark spots in people who have dark skin. This wart removal service is often repeated more than once until the wart is completely gone.
Electrosurgery and curettage: Electrosurgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts and foot warts. Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a sharp knife or small, spoon-shaped tool. These two procedures are often used together. The dermatologist may remove the wart by scraping it off before or after electrosurgery.
Excision: The doctor may cut out the wart.
During your initial consultation, Clearlyderm’s dermatologists for warts will perform a skin analysis to determine which wart removal option is best for you.
Scheduling an Appointment
Clearlyderm has six South Florida locations in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. This makes it easy and convenient to find an office near you.
Clearlyderm is a family-run business with all of the advantages of a large medical office. Our providers take the time to understand your needs and history, in order to develop a treatment plan that’s tailored to you. If you need a prescription, we will work to find one that’s covered by your insurance. We also offer holistic options for skin care, when possible. It’s our way of showing you that we care about you as a patient — and a person.
Erika graduated from the University of Florida in 2002 with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She then completed her Master’s of Public Health in 2005 at Florida International University, where she graduated with honors. After earning her MPH, Erika continued her education at Nova Southeastern University, where she again graduated with honors with a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2007.
After graduation, Erika worked in pediatric dermatology at Miami Children’s Hospital for 6 years before joining Clearlyderm. She has received specialized training in pediatric dermatology, including the management and treatment birthmarks (hemangiomas, port wine stains, moles, etc), molluscum, warts, acne, rashes, eczema, etc.
ANDREA COLTON, MD, FAAD
MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Colton graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974 and University of Miami Medical School in 1978, finishing near the top her class. After finishing a four year Dermatology residency at the University of Miami in 1983, she worked in her own dermatology practices in Boca Raton and then Delray Beach.
She is a board-certified Dermatologist and has a long, distinguished career in Dermatology. Dr. Colton has received numerous accolades, most recently being chosen in 2011, as one of the best Dermatologists in America by the U.S. News and World Report.
Dr Colton is currently on faculty at Florida Atlantic University as an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Clinical Biomedical Science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and is involved in the dermatology education of medical students.
Dr. Colton’s focus is on comprehensive collaborative dermatology care and works closely with dermatology nurse practitioners to create new innovative care models that will include quality improvement and benchmarks in dermatology.
Dr. Colton is married to Dr. Robert Colton and has five beautiful children and three golden retrievers. She resides in Boca Raton, Florida.
