wart- what to do

[Anonymous]

I have a wart in one of my fingers. I have only had a wart once before, in the palm of my hand, and I had it removed or burned by doc.
Is there anything I can buy otc to get rid of it?
Also, is this contagious? ShouldI not touch dd with that hand?

[Anonymous]

I specifically got my wart burned off before giving birth because I was afraid of giving it to her. I would go see the derm and get it burned right away, personally.

I had warts as a little girl and they became a terrible problem for me. Then they magically went away (mostly) by themselves later..... I wouldn't take the risk of passing it to my kids if I can avoid it.

[Anonymous]

don't even touch yourself with that hand. everywhere you touch can get the virus.
there's good stuff over the counter to freeze it. freezaway is awesome.
make sure you soak the area a lot right before using it.

[Anonymous]

If you are the OP of the chin hair post as well, I would be very concerned.

[Anonymous]

i dont have chin hair, lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:don't even touch yourself with that hand. everywhere you touch can get the virus.
there's good stuff over the counter to freeze it. freezaway is awesome.
make sure you soak the area a lot right before using it.

but this is safe? i am just clueless about this...

[Anonymous]

It's only contagious if the skin on the wart is broken, and it touches other broken skin. There needs to be transfer of moisture. That's why they're so common around the fingernails, because even a hangnail is enough of an "in" for them.

The OTC freezeaway was ok, but not great. Other Dr. Scholl's salycilic acid products have worked as well/ better.

[Anonymous]

My son has one on his finger, argh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:don't even touch yourself with that hand. everywhere you touch can get the virus.
there's good stuff over the counter to freeze it. freezaway is awesome.
make sure you soak the area a lot right before using it.

but this is safe? i am just clueless about this...

VERY SAFE if you follow the instructions.
make sure you don't touch healthy skin with it, it hurts A LOT.
and if you break the skin using a nail clipper or a cuticle tool before applying it, it starts acting faster.
good luck.

[Anonymous]

thanks all. i dont think i can do this on my own. think i will go see a derm. next week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's only contagious if the skin on the wart is broken, and it touches other broken skin. There needs to be transfer of moisture. That's why they're so common around the fingernails, because even a hangnail is enough of an "in" for them.

Technically true, but kind of misleading. the virus that causes basic flat warts (which is what I'm assuming you have) is human papiloma virus, which is pretty pesky and persistent in spreading. The broken skin site doesn't necessarily need to be visible to the eye. I have seen folks spread warts--especially as seasons change and skin becomes dryer and flakier than usual--from their hands to their arms, legs, feet, and face. In those cases, especially the face (where scarring is a concern) and the feet (plantar warts can be really stubborn), treatment is a bit more involved.

Though OTC wart treatments can certainly be effective if you follow all directions and stick with it until your wart clears (it helps if you debrade the site regularly once you start the treatment, to allow the active ingredient to penetrate effectively), but that's a $10 investment in the OTC treatment plus some time investment in self-care. If you have health insurance, an office visit and a your copay will be the fastest, safest and most reliable way to address this issue. The wart will be frozen, covered with a simple bandage, and will fall off on its own in a matter of days.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thanks all. i dont think i can do this on my own. think i will go see a derm. next week

I went to the doc and he wanted to charge me $135.00 to do it plus the visit - $40.00
I ended up spending $12 on the OTC kit and my finger looks gorgeous again.

[Anonymous]

We have had success using duct tape to cover warts treated with OTC wart medication.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030201/tips/8.html

[Anonymous]

Call your dermatologist and have them check with your insurance. I had two warts removed from my son's hand and my insurance paid for it. The doctor said it's considered a medical, not cosmetic, problem, so the treatment is covered by insurance.

The benefit of going to a derm is that you treat it once and that's it. With the OTC stuff, you have to keep reapplying, etc.

[Anonymous]

I just treated a single wart on my finger with some OTC stuff. It was super super easy. The wart dried up a bit after a couple applications and then I was able to pull it the rest of the way out. Did that gross any body out? Well, its the truth. Pulling it out hurt a bit, probably wasn't necessary (I could have just applied more medicine?) but the wart is gone and the area is healing.