What are warts on face

Warts are non-malignant growths or tumors that grow on different parts of the body, including the face. They are not considered dangerous, although they are unattractive and frustrating, so most people choose to remove them.

Face warts

Apart from other parts of the body, warts can grow on the face too. They are usually located around the eyes and on eyelids, but they can grow on cheeks, forehead and around the mouth as well.

There are several different types of warts that can affects the face, but flat warts and filiform warts are the most common. Flat warts are smooth and usually round in shape, while filiform ones come on a single long stalk.

Warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus or HPV. This virus can dwell in the human body and warts usually form when there is a drop in the immune system. Although it is a virus, HPV is not highly contagious and it is not easily spread, unless through long-term direct contact with the wart itself.

Just like other warts, facial warts can go away on their own after a while, or they can take as long as a few years to disappear. They also tend to come back.

Treatment for face warts

The treatment for warts on face depends largely on their severity. Some people choose to let them go away on their own, but since they appear on such an exposed place and often cause embarrassment and frustration, most people decide to remove them.

Salicylic acid is the most widely used remedy for warts. There are many over-the-counter products that list salicylic acid as the main active ingredient and most of them can be safely used at home. However, one needs to be careful not to touch the healthy skin and tissue with this acid, because it can damage them.

Laser treatment is another popular solution against face acne, although it is not a cheap one. The pulse dye laser eliminates the blood cells from the wart, while CO2 laser works with water molecules. These treatments are often painful and sometimes they leave a scar. Also, they usually require more than one session to completely remove the wart.

Freezing the wart is less expensive and equally efficient. This treatment uses liquid nitrogen or nitrogen spray to freeze the wart, which then falls off. This treatment is called cryotherapy and it must be performed by a medical professional.

There are natural remedies against facial warts too, but most of them take more time and patience. Apple cider vinegar, banana peel, garlic, milkweed and aloe vera are among the most popular natural remedies for warts.