The accompanying symptoms

Warts can lead to annoying accompanying symptoms, depending on their location and type. Genital warts mainly lead to itching and continue to be a cosmetic problem for many people affected. This also applies to vulgar warts.

However, the itching can also be absent. Warts on the sole of the foot can lead to pain and thus also to an impairment of walking. This is especially the case with thorn warts, which grow thorn-like into the tissue and thus have a displacing effect on the tissue.

Otherwise, warts are rather asymptomatic. They do not cause general symptoms and complaints. Occasionally, small black dots can be found on the surface of the sole of the foot warts. These are small bleedings.

The diagnosis of viral warts

Both general practitioners and dermatologists can make the diagnosis. The main focus is on the inspection of the skin and skin changes. In many cases the inspection of the warts is already sufficient for the diagnosis due to their characteristic appearance and typical distribution patterns.

However, especially in the case of an infestation of the genital region, special HPV smears should also be taken in men and women. In women, an additional vaginal examination (colposcopy) should be performed, since an infection with human papilloma viruses can also lead to cervical cancer. By means of a virus smear from the cervix and a cell smear, changes and infections can be detected. If the diagnosis of a viral wart is inconclusive, an additional sample can be taken from the suspicious skin change and examined under the microscope. However, this is usually not necessary.

What is the best way to remove virus warts?

There are many different ways to remove virus warts.Depending on the location and type of the wart, certain procedures are preferred to others. Therefore, there is not one recommended procedure. In general, a distinction is made between conservative and invasive treatment options.

In conservative therapies, various drugs are applied to the wart to remove it. These are keratolytic, cytostatic, virustatic or immunomodulatory agents. So-called keratolytic drugs, such as salicylic acid or monochloroacetic acid, soften the horny layers of the wart and are applied several times a day as tinctures, ointments or even patches.

They should not be applied to the face and healthy skin. As a cytostatic agent, 5-fluoruracil is frequently used. The active ingredient kills the cells of the wart.

Virustatic agents fight the papilloma viruses. The active ingredient cidofovir can be used as an ointment in the treatment of genital warts or therapy-refractory vuglären and plantar warts. The immunomodulatory active ingredient Imiquimod is mainly used for local application in the treatment of genital warts.

Warts can also be frozen with the help of liquid nitrogen. Apart from conservative measures, invasive treatment options also exist. Thorn warts that grow very deep into the tissue can be scraped out under local anesthesia with a so-called sharp spoon.

Surgical removal is also possible for the treatment of other warts. However, since warts often tend to recur even after successful treatment, people are rather reluctant to use invasive treatment methods. Apart from surgical removal, warts can also be removed by laser treatment or electrocoagulation. In electrocoagulation, the cells are burned by electricity.