Examining the wart.
Scraping off the top layer of the wart to check for signs of dark, pinpoint dots — clotted blood vessels — which are common with warts.
Removing a small section of the wart (shave biopsy) and sending it to a laboratory for analysis to rule out other types of skin growths.
Warts often go away on their own after your immune system fights off the virus. Because warts can spread, cause pain and be unsightly, your doctor may recommend treatment. Options include:
At-home wart removal: Over-the-counter (OTC) wart removal medications, such as Compound W®, contain salicylic acid. This chemical dissolves warts one layer at a time. These products come in liquid, gel and patch form. You may need to apply the medication every day for several months to get rid of the wart completely.
Freezing: During a procedure called cryotherapy, your doctor applies liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. After freezing, a blister forms. Eventually, the blister and wart peel off. You may need several treatments.
Immunotherapy: For stubborn warts that don’t respond to traditional treatments, immunotherapy helps your immune system fight the virus. This process involves a topical chemical, such as diphencyprone (DCP). DCP causes a mild allergic reaction that makes the wart go away.
Laser treatment: Your doctor uses laser light to heat and destroy tiny blood vessels inside the wart. The process cuts off blood supply, killing the wart.
Topical medicine: Your doctor may apply a liquid mixture containing the chemical cantharidin. A blister forms under the wart and cuts off its blood supply. You must return to your doctor’s office in about a week to have the dead wart removed.
