Understanding Warts: Causes and How Laser Treatment Can Help

What Are Warts?

Warts are a common skin condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Although they are generally harmless, warts can be unsightly, uncomfortable, and sometimes difficult to treat. Thanks to advances in dermatology, laser treatments have become an effective option for minimizing or completely removing warts. In this article, we’ll explain what warts are, what causes them, and how laser treatment can help. Warts are small, rough growths on the skin caused by an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which affects the top layer of the skin. They typically appear as hard, raised bumps that can be skin-colored, white, pink, or brown. Warts commonly develop on the hands and fingers, feet (known as plantar warts), face, neck, and genital area (genital warts). While generally painless, warts can sometimes cause discomfort, especially plantar warts that form on the soles of the feet.

What Causes Warts?
Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with contaminated surfaces. The virus enters the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions, allowing it to infect the top layer of skin cells. Factors that increase the risk of developing warts include having cuts, scrapes, or damaged skin, a weak or compromised immune system, frequent exposure to moist environments such as communal showers or swimming pools, and sharing personal items like towels or razors. Additionally, age plays a role, as children and teenagers are more prone to warts. While warts are contagious, they are usually harmless and often disappear on their own over time. However, many people choose to seek treatment to remove warts due to their appearance or discomfort.

How Laser Treatment Can Help Remove or Minimize Warts
Laser treatment has emerged as a highly effective option for treating stubborn or recurrent warts. Unlike traditional treatments such as freezing or topical medications, lasers target the wart tissue precisely and with minimal damage to the surrounding skin. Laser therapy works by delivering focused beams of light that destroy the blood vessels feeding the wart. This cuts off the wart’s nutrient supply, causing the infected tissue to die and eventually fall off. Additionally, the laser stimulates the immune system to fight off the viral infection more effectively. These lasers vary in depth and intensity, allowing dermatologists to customize treatment based on the wart’s size, location, and thickness.

Benefits of Laser Treatment for Warts
Laser treatment offers several advantages compared to other wart removal methods:

Precision: Targets only the wart tissue, sparing healthy skin.

Effectiveness: High success rate, especially for stubborn or recurring warts.

Minimal pain and discomfort: Usually performed with local anesthesia or cooling techniques.

Faster healing: Less risk of scarring or skin damage.

Suitable for sensitive areas: Safe for use on the face, genitals, and other delicate skin regions.

What to Expect During Laser Wart Treatment
Laser wart removal is typically done in a dermatologist’s office and takes only a few minutes per wart. Depending on the size and number of warts, multiple sessions may be needed. After treatment, the wart tissue will gradually shrink and fall off within a few days to weeks. Some mild redness, swelling, or tenderness may occur but usually subsides quickly. Proper aftercare includes keeping the treated area clean and avoiding picking or scratching to prevent infection. Traditional methods of treating warts can be uncomfortable and difficult, but laser therapy provides a precise, safe, and efficient substitute. Laser therapy can reduce or eradicate warts with little discomfort and recovery time by focusing on the wart’s blood supply and boosting the immune system. See a dermatologist to determine whether laser therapy is the best course of action for you if you’re having trouble with persistent warts. Additionally, if you have any questions or want to learn more about how our devices can treat warts, feel free to contact the Apolomed team in the ‘contact us’ page.