Warts are common skin growths resulting from infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). These small, often rough, bumps can appear on various parts of the body, though they are most frequently found on hands, feet, and knees. While many warts may resolve on their own over time, their appearance or discomfort can lead individuals to seek removal. Understanding the nature of these growths and potential outcomes of self-treatment is important.
Immediate Physical Responses
Cutting into a wart typically results in immediate sensations of pain. Warts contain nerve endings, contributing to discomfort upon injury. Beyond pain, cutting a wart also causes significant bleeding. Warts contain numerous tiny blood vessels, often visible as small black dots within the growth, which supply them with nutrients and oxygen. Severing these vessels leads to a noticeable flow of blood.
This bleeding can be heavy because these growths are vascular. The presence of blood vessels close to the surface means that even minor trauma, like scratching or scraping, can cause a wart to bleed readily. This highlights the wart’s internal structure and potential for substantial blood loss from self-inflicted cuts. The uncontrolled nature of this bleeding makes self-removal difficult.
Unintended Consequences and Persistence
Attempting to cut off a wart at home carries a significant risk of infection. Creating an open wound with non-sterile tools provides an entry point for bacteria, which can lead to a more serious infection requiring medical intervention. The wound created by cutting may also heal poorly, potentially resulting in permanent scarring, which can be more noticeable than the original wart, especially in visible or weight-bearing areas.
Cutting a wart often proves ineffective for long-term removal. Warts are caused by viral particles that extend deeper into the skin than the visible surface of the growth. Simply cutting off the top portion leaves these viral particles behind, making recurrence highly likely. The wart may regrow in the same location, sometimes appearing larger or in clusters.
Beyond recurrence, cutting a wart can inadvertently spread the human papillomavirus to other areas of the body. If viral particles from the cut wart come into contact with broken skin elsewhere, new warts can emerge. This process, known as autoinoculation, means a single wart can multiply into multiple growths. The virus can also spread to other individuals through direct contact with the cut wart or contaminated surfaces.
Recommended Approaches for Wart Removal
For safe and effective wart removal, several professional and over-the-counter (OTC) options are available. OTC treatments commonly include products containing salicylic acid, which gradually dissolve wart tissue over several weeks or months. Freezing kits, using a cold agent, are another OTC option, causing the wart to blister and eventually fall off.
When OTC treatments are insufficient or for larger, more persistent warts, professional medical approaches offer stronger solutions. Dermatologists frequently use cryotherapy, which involves applying liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy the wart tissue. This method causes a blister to form, leading to the wart’s detachment. Other professional procedures include electrocautery, which burns the wart tissue, and surgical excision, where a healthcare provider cuts out the wart.
Laser treatment is another option, particularly for stubborn or deep-seated warts, using concentrated light to destroy the wart’s blood vessels. Prescription topical medications, such as cantharidin or imiquimod, can also be applied by a healthcare provider to induce blistering or stimulate the immune system to fight the virus. Seeking professional advice is important for warts that are painful, large, located in sensitive areas, or for individuals with underlying health conditions.