Warts are a common skin condition caused by a viral infection, and they are seen regularly at our clinic in Satellite, Ahmedabad. They can appear on any body surface, are mildly contagious, and tend to multiply if left untreated. While many warts do eventually resolve on their own, this can take months to years, during which they can spread to other parts of the body or to other people. Professional removal is a faster, more reliable solution.
What Causes Warts
Warts are caused by strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus infects the top layer of skin and causes it to grow rapidly, forming a rough, raised lump. HPV is transmitted through direct contact - touching a wart on someone else's skin, or touching a surface that an infected person has touched (such as a swimming pool floor or a shared towel) and then touching your own skin.
The virus is most likely to infect skin that has a small cut, break, or area of softened tissue. This is why warts are particularly common on the hands and feet, where skin is more vulnerable to minor injury. Children and young adults are more frequently affected because their immune systems have not yet built up defences against many HPV strains. People with weakened immune systems are also more prone to warts that are widespread and resistant to treatment.
Warts do not carry a significant health risk in most cases, but plane warts (flat warts on the face) and plantar warts (on the soles of the feet) can be particularly persistent and distressing.
Signs and Symptoms
Common warts (verruca vulgaris) appear as rough, raised growths with a grainy surface, often on the fingers, hands, and around the nails. Plantar warts on the soles of the feet can be flat or pushed inward by the pressure of walking, causing pain. Flat warts are smaller and smoother, often appearing on the face, forehead, and back of the hands. Filiform warts are thread-like growths that tend to develop around the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Warts are typically skin-coloured but may appear darker. They often have small black dots within them - these are clotted blood vessels, not seeds as is commonly believed. A wart that is painful, rapidly growing, or changing colour should always be assessed by a doctor.
Our Approach at Lavish Aesthetique Clinic
At Lavish Aesthetique Clinic in Satellite, Ahmedabad, our doctors first confirm the diagnosis and assess the type, location, and number of warts before recommending treatment. CO2 laser removal is our primary approach for effective, precise wart treatment - the laser energy vaporises the wart tissue and the underlying viral cells with great accuracy, reducing the chance of recurrence compared to many other methods.
Topical anaesthesia is applied before treatment to minimise discomfort. Multiple warts can be treated in a single session. After removal, the treated area heals within one to two weeks with appropriate aftercare. Our doctors also advise on hygiene measures to prevent re-infection and reduce the chance of spreading the virus to others or to other parts of the body during the treatment period.
Related Treatments
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many laser sessions are needed to remove warts? A: Many warts are successfully removed in a single CO2 laser session. Larger warts, clusters, or warts that have been present for a long time may need two to three sessions. Your doctor will assess your specific warts and give you a realistic estimate at your consultation.
Q: Can warts come back after laser removal? A: CO2 laser removal destroys the wart and reduces the viral load in the treated area. Recurrence is possible if the HPV virus remains active in the skin or if re-infection occurs, but laser treatment has lower recurrence rates than many alternative methods. Good hygiene and immune health support lower the risk of regrowth.
Q: Are warts contagious even after treatment? A: During the healing period after laser removal, the treated area should be kept covered and clean to avoid any risk of viral spread. Once fully healed, the risk of transmission from the treated site is essentially eliminated. Your doctor at our clinic in Satellite, Ahmedabad will give you detailed aftercare instructions to manage this safely.
To find out which treatment is right for you, book a consultation at our clinic in Satellite, Ahmedabad.