When checking your skin, you may notice some round or flat growths. Luckily, such skin growths are not always a sign of skin cancer and may not be a mole. You may have a wart, which you should handle carefully to prevent spreading it to others. The Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Diseases team has several methods to remove warts in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta & Cumming, GA.

What Are Warts?

These small, non-cancerous growths appearing on various parts of your body are caused by the human papillomavirus virus HPV. They form due to the extra cell growth that the virus triggers. While they can occur anywhere, they're common on the hands and feet. Because their immune systems are still developing defenses, teenagers and kids are likelier to get them than others. Remember that this skin condition is contagious from direct skin-to-skin contact, so you should have your dermatologist check them out and safely remove them.

You can identify common warts by their fleshy color, and they often congregate on the back of your hands, skin around nails, or feet. Plantar warts are on the soles of your feet and are usually flat, thick, and tough. Some people may also develop flat warts, which are smaller and smoother than common ones. These warts can grow in huge clusters of 20 to 100 at a time.

How Can Dermatologists Treat Them?

The type of removal needed can depend on the wart and its location on the body. Your dermatologist may handle warts in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta & Cumming, GA, by freezing them off with liquid nitrogen in a process called cryotherapy. Injecting Candida albicans directly into the wart causes your immune system to attack it. Interferons and 5-fluorouracil are other medications your doctor may inject into it for removal.

Electrotherapy involves burning off the wart followed by scraping it off the skin. Some topical medications containing salicylic acid can gradually dissolve the wart. Sometimes, your dermatologist may remove it by excision or cutting it out of the skin. Some difficult warts may require laser treatment. After removal, remember to practice mindful care and avoid touching someone else's wart. It can be spread by sharing socks, towels, razors, or other skin care tools. 

Your doctors at Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Diseases can help with many skin conditions. If you have warts in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta & Cumming, GA, you have several skin doctors who can solve the problem. Learn more and schedule a consultation by calling (770) 751-1133 for the Roswell, GA, office, (770) 664-5225 for Alpharetta, GA, (770) 844-1902 for Cumming, GA, and (404) 252-4333 for Sandy Springs, GA today.