Wart Removal

A wart is a tumor or growth that can occur due to the keratin component of the skin growing too fast. This is brought about by a virus known as the Human Papilloma Virus, otherwise commonly known as HPV. They are highly contagious and hence, can be easily passed from one person to another via skin to skin contact.
A wart is not cancerous but can lead to cancer. This is especially in the case of genital warts that attack the mucosal lining leading to anal and cervical cancers. This does not mean however that these cancers cannot occur in any other part of the body. This, along with the fact that they are contagious and unpleasant, calls for their fast removal.
Many warts disappear by themselves. However, predicting this is next to impossible and therefore, you should not wait for them to do so. Get rid of warts as soon as possible is the most advisable measure to take.
How can a wart be removed? There are many options to choose from for wart removal. Among them is cryotherapy. It involves the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze warts and kill the cells within them. They then develop into blisters and in about a week or so, scabs are formed which fall off.
Surgery is also another method that can be used to remove warts. Here, the warts are cut off by use of a scalpel or blade. A local or general anesthesia is also used in this procedure. The major disadvantage of it is that the warts that are removed this way end up growing back.
Electrocautery can also be used to remove warts. An electric current is used to burn the cells within the warts, eventually making them to fall off.
Photodynamic therapy on the other hand, involves the injecting of a chemical into the wart. This chemical is activated by light, more often by a laser beam, and in turn kills the cells within the wart. This makes the wart fall off.
For those interested in methods that can be employed at home, duct tape is a popular wart removal method. It is put over the warts and left for about one week, after which it is removed and the warts dipped warm water for about five minutes. The dead tissues within it are then rubbed by perhaps a pumice stone or anything else rough. After this they are then left open for a night and a new tape placed over them the following day. This process is repeated until the wart completely disappears.