One type of treatment to use for warts – particularly plantar warts – is an over-the-counter salicylic acid preparation available at the pharmacy. Do take care to follow package directions because over-application of these products can burn the skin. Periodically sand and re-treat the wart.
It can take several months especially if the wart is large. Warts can spread, so monitor your child’s skin closely and treat warts when they are small. Soak the affected area in warm water for five minutes before applying the salicylic acid. This will enhance the effects of the medication.
Remove any loose tissue with a brush, washcloth or emery board and dry thoroughly. It is also important to file away as much of the overlying callus tissue as possible so that the medication can penetrate the wart properly. The prolonged use of this medication is not recommended, especially in infants and OTC treatments should never be used on the face as they could damage the skin.
- Another type of treatment is a commercial preparation containing about 17% salicylic acid and 17% lactic acid – a fast-drying solution that can be applied daily after showering. The preparation is allowed to dry and the wart covered with waterproof tape, which is removed after the next shower or bath. Again, it can take several months to clear the wart with this method.
- Duct tape is one treatment approach where the tape is applied to the wart, which is kept covered 24 hours a day, six out of seven days a week, for six weeks.
- Cryosurgery is a medical type of treatment for warts where a doctor freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen.
- Laser surgery may be used for warts that are particularly stubborn or they can be cut out by your doctor. This latter treatment can be painful and even lead to scarring.
Safe Ways to Cure Warts for Kids
Although you can treat common and other warts in children with OTC medications, these tend to be quite harsh, and even painful when applying, so going the natural route would seem to be the best option.
- Remember that warts can sometimes be hard to get rid of if they are left because the thick layers of skin make it difficult for any medication to penetrate. If you roughen the skin by using a piece of sandpaper first, this will enable any flat warts treatment medication to penetrate more easily.
- For your child’s comfort in the case of plantar warts, you might like to use a special pad or doughnut-shaped piece of moleskin around the wart, available from a pharmacy, to relieve any pressure and pain from the wart. This means that children can still run around, play sports and live their normal life in spite of the plantar wart under the foot.
The length of time between when someone is exposed to an HPV virus and a wart appearing varies, but warts can grow very slowly and may take many months to develop. Warts are different in different people. In time, many warts disappear on their own but with treatment, they can usually be removed within a few weeks.
For a healthier all round child, it is always wise to boost their immune system to give maximum protection from viruses and germs alike.