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Warts and verrucae - Management
Should warts and verrucae be treated?
- For most people there is a strong case for not treating warts or verrucae.
- Warts do not usually cause symptoms.
- Most warts resolve spontaneously within months or, at the most, within 2 years.
- Treatment may be prolonged and can have adverse effects.
- Cryotherapy requires several clinic visits, can be painful at the time of application, and may cause pain, blistering, infection, and depigmentation.
- Topical salicylic acid may require administration for up to 12 weeks and can cause local skin irritation.
- Consider treatment if:
- The wart is painful (for example on the soles of the feet or near the nails).
- The wart is cosmetically unsightly (for example on the hands or face).
- The person requests treatment, and the wart is persisting.
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