Everything you need to know about filiform warts
Filiform warts are basically common warts, which are growths on the skin that are caused by the virus HPV. This type of wart usually grows on the hands or fingers, and they are relatively harmless. Warts are usually more of a nuisance than a real health problem. Warts look like small bumps that are white or pink. They are usually rough and can occur one at a time or in groups.
Causes of filiform warts
Warts are always caused by the HPV virus, and there are over 100 different strains of this virus. Warts are spread through person to person contact, sometimes even by indirect contact like touching the same towel. It can take months after the contact for a wart to appear, sometimes even up to six months. Not everyone who gets the HPV virus will get warts, so it is possible for someone to be a carrier of the virus and not have warts.
Home treatment of filiform warts
Most warts don’t require any treatment and usually disappear on their own. However, it can take as long as two years for them to disappear. In most causes though, you will want to treat warts to keep from spreading them to other people. The most common treatment for warts is salicylic acid, which is an over-the-counter wart remedy that is available at every drug store.
Another home treatment of warts involves a very common household product. Duct tape can actually dissolve warts, although it does take time. Many doctors recommend using salicylic acid and duct tape together to get rid of warts.
Alternative treatments
There are also two alternative treatments that have shown promise for treating warts. One is a garlic solution with an oil base, and the other is vitamin D-3 patches. However, not a lot of study has been done on these alternative treatments, so researchers don’t know if they will be effective for many people.
Other treatments for warts
If home treatments are not getting rid of your warts, then the doctor can recommend other treatments to get rid of them. Most warts can be frozen off, which, although it sounds like it is very painful, is actually only mildly uncomfortable. Freezing a wart off basically involves the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart until it is gone. It usually takes about a week for the wart to be completely gone after the doctor freezes it.
In some cases, doctors will recommend the use of cantharidin, which is a chemical that comes from the blister beetle. The chemical basically eats away at the wart, leaving behind a nasty blister. This process is also rather painless, although the blister that is left behind can ache a lot. The doctor will be able to remove the wart after the cantharidin takes effect.
In very rare cases, surgery may be required to remove a wart. Surgery can take the form of minor surgery, which involves cutting the wart away, or laser surgery, which involves using a laser to burn the wart off.