Self-Care Guidelines
Since many warts go away without treatment, it is not necessary to treat most warts. Warts also often come back (recur) or appear in new areas despite treatment; therefore, it is important to avoid using repeated, painful, or scarring treatments unless the warts are interfering with your child's daily life.
Before trying any self-care measures, your child's doctor should see him or her. Although it may take 6–12 weeks to get rid of (eradicate) the lesions, your child might find the following self-care measures helpful for non-genital and non-facial warts:
- Over-the-counter wart removers have a high percentage of salicylic acid and work by dissolving away the layer of skin infected with the virus. This treatment needs to be used daily and can sometimes be irritating if it touches unaffected skin around the wart.
- Duct tape applied daily to the affected area seems to work for unknown reasons. The tape should be very sticky and kept on for a few days. Some children may have a reaction to the adhesive on the tape.
- Over-the-counter freezing medications are available but have not been found to be very effective.
- Coupled with the above therapies, the wart should be soaked in warm water, and any loose skin should be removed every few days with a mild abrasive, like a pumice stone.
- Family members should avoid sharing personal items such as towels.
When to Seek Medical Care
Any infant with warts should be checked by the doctor.
Signs and Symptoms
