Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

beginning of content

How to treat warts

7-minute read

What are warts?

Warts are small, harmless lumps of skin caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). A wart will usually have a flesh coloured appearance and the skin forming the wart will be rough. Warts are common in school-aged children but can happen at any age.

What are the symptoms of warts?

The appearance of a wart depends on its type. There are several different types of warts:

  • Common warts (verruca vulgaris) — these are small, raised areas of skin, usually round, with a rough surface of skin often looking like the top of a cauliflower. These warts often appear on the hands, elbows and knees.
  • Plane or flat warts — these are flat warts that are usually yellow in colour and appear on the hands and face. They are most common in children and can often spread and group together.
  • Plantar warts — these are warts that appear on the feet, usually on the sole, heel or toes. The weight of the body causes the wart to be pushed into the skin so a plantar wart will usually not be raised like other warts and may even cause some discomfort when walking. You may notice a white area of skin with a tiny black dot or dots in the centre.
  • Filiform warts — these are long, thin warts that usually appear on the eyelids, armpits or neck.
  • Mosaic warts — these grow in clusters and are most common on the hands and feet.
  • Subungual or periungual warts — these are warts that form under or around the cuticle.
  • Mucosal warts — these can appear on the lips, inside the cheeks and nose, the airway and in genital areas.

What causes warts?

You can get the HPV virus from direct contact with the skin from another person who has the virus or indirectly through contaminated surfaces such as swimming pools or gymnasiums. HPV infects the cells in the outer layer of the skin, causing them to grow and form a wart. It can take up to a year for the wart to appear for the first time.

Genital warts are caused by a different family type of HPV. These are sexually transmitted and can cause cervical and vulval cancer. Ordinary skin warts do not cause cancer.

When should I see my doctor

Most warts will go away without treatment in time. In children, without treatment, half of all warts disappear within 6 months and almost all (9 in 10) will go away within 2 years. It can take longer in adults.

It is a good idea to show the wart to your doctor if:

  • the wart is bothering you or painful
  • you have warts of the face, feet or genitals
  • the wart looks infected (red, swollen and warm)
  • you have multiple warts or the warts are spreading
  • you have reduced immunity
  • you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy

How are warts treated?

Many people choose not to treat warts because treatment can be uncomfortable.

There are several ways to treat warts, including those you can do yourself and treatments done by a doctor. If you choose to treat a wart, it’s important to stick with the treatment until the wart is gone.

If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, you may need to avoid certain treatments, so talk to doctor before starting treatment.

Treatments at home

Cover the wart

Covering the wart with strong, waterproof tape may help it to clear up. It can also stop the wart from spreading.

Liquid or gel

A common method of treating warts involves applying a liquid or gel containing salicylic acid or lactic acid (wart paint) to the wart.

You can buy wart liquid or gel at your local pharmacy and put them on at home. Your doctor can give you a prescription for stronger solutions.

To use wart gels or liquids, you need to prepare the wart first:

  • soak the area around the wart in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes (having a shower makes this easy)
  • rub the wart with a nail file, emery board, pumice stone or even sandpaper
  • put the gel or liquid on the wart, making sure you avoid the healthy skin around it
  • let the gel or liquid dry and cover the area with sticking plaster

You usually need to use wart liquid or gel every day, and it can take many weeks to work.

Talk to your pharmacist about which wart treatment is suitable for you. Always follow the directions on the packaging for the use of wart treatments, and ask your pharmacist if you have any questions.

Never use wart paints on the face.

Doctor treatment options

Freezing

Freezing a wart (known as cryotherapy) needs to be carried out by a healthcare professional. It works by exposing the wart to a very cold liquid, such as liquid nitrogen or sprays. This freezes the wart and destroys its skin cells. Salicylic acid can also be used to destroy the wart.

Burning and laser

Burning, surgical removal and laser wart removal treatments are done under local anaesthetic. These treatments are done less commonly because they can leave scars.

Immunotherapy

This involves treatments that encourage the immune system to recognise and destroy the skin cells that are infected with the wart virus. This treatment takes time and can be very itchy.

Can warts be prevented?

There are steps you can take to prevent warts from spreading.

  • If you have a plantar (on the bottom of the feet) wart, you need to change your socks daily.
  • Do not share towels with another person. If you have a plantar wart you should avoid sharing any footwear including socks.
  • If you have a plantar wart make sure you clean out the bottom of your shower or bath after use.
  • Wash your hands if they come into direct contact with your wart, such as when you apply any treatments.
  • Never pick, scratch or bite a wart.
  • Do not share any medicines or remedies used to treat your wart. This includes emery boards and pumice stones.
  • If you have a plantar wart and go swimming you should cover it up and wear thongs in communal areas. Do not go barefoot in public areas.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: September 2021


Back To Top

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Warts - Better Health Channel

Warts can be stubborn, so you may need to use more than one type of treatment.

Read more on Better Health Channel website

ACD A-Z of Skin - Warts

A-Z OF SKIN Warts BACK TO A-Z SEARCH What is it? Also known as…Human Papillomavirus, Verrucae Vulgaris or Papillomas What are they? Warts are abnormal growths of the skin and mucosa caused by an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV)

Read more on Australasian College of Dermatologists website

Warts - MyDr.com.au

Warts are most commonly found on the hands, fingers, elbows, forearms, knees, face and the skin around the nails.

Read more on myDr website

Warts: self-care - MyDr.com.au

Warts are benign growths of skin caused by the human papillomavirus and transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact. Find out what products are available for warts.

Read more on myDr website

Warts in children and teenagers | Raising Children Network

Warts are small, flesh-coloured, raised growths, which most often come up on the arms, hands and legs. See a GP if you’re worried about your child’s warts.

Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website

Cervical Cancer Types & Symptoms - Cancer Council Victoria

Learn about cervical cancer, including types, symptoms, causes & risk factors.

Read more on Cancer Council Victoria website

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Australian Government, health department logo ACT Government logo New South Wales government, health department logo Northen Territory Government logo Queensland Government logo Government of South Australia, health department logo Tasmanian government logo Victorian government logo Government of Western Australia, health department logo

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.