It is one thing to have to deal with a wart or other skin condition on yourself but it is much tougher to watch your child suffer from such a condition.‚ ‚ Warts are annoying at best, always embarrassing and when they are on children we feel particularly sympathetic.‚ But don just throw up your hands.‚ There are many things parents can do short of surgery, freezing or burning them off.

What are warts?
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Warts are non-cancerous skin growths caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).‚ As you might suspect due to sheer observation, warts are more common in children than adults.‚ But they can develop at any age. Warts can spread to other parts of the body and to other persons. There are many different types of warts, due to many different papillomavirus types (more than 100). Warts are not painful, except when located on the feet. Most warts go away, without treatment, over an extended period of time.
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Common types of warts:
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The following are the more common types of warts:
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¢‚¬¢ Common warts - growths around nails and the back of hands; usually have a rough surface; grayish-yellow or brown in color.
¢‚¬¢ Plantars warts - located on the soles of feet (plantar warts) with black dots (clotted blood vessels that once fed them); clusters of plantar warts are called mosaic. These warts may be painful.
¢‚¬¢ Flat warts - small, smooth growths that grow in groups up to 100 at a time; most often appear on children’s faces.
¢‚¬¢ genital warts ¢‚¬ these warts are EXTREMELY rare in children.‚ They demand treatment as well as further investigation.‚ Because of their rarity in children their treatment is not a part of this article.‚ Genital warts grow on the genitals and are usually sexually transmitted.‚ They are soft and do not have a rough surface like other common warts.
¢‚¬¢ filiform warts - small, long, narrow growths that usually appear on eyelids, face, or neck.
Treatment for warts:
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Individual treatment for warts should be determined by your child’s physician based on:
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¢‚¬¢ your child’s age, overall health, and medical history
¢‚¬¢ extent of the growths
¢‚¬¢ your child’s tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
¢‚¬¢ expectations for the course of the growths
¢‚¬¢ your opinion or preference
Warts in children often disappear without treatment. Treatment of warts depends on several factors, including:
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¢‚¬¢ length of time on the skin
¢‚¬¢ location
¢‚¬¢ type
¢‚¬¢ severity
Treatment may include:
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¢‚¬¢ application of salicylic and lactic acid (which soften the infected area)
¢‚¬¢ freezing with liquid nitrogen
¢‚¬¢ electrodesiccation (using an electrical current to destroy the wart)
¢‚¬¢ immunotherapy
¢‚¬¢ laser surgery
¢‚¬¢ topical application of approved wart medications

Not all medications or treatments work on all children, and even when treatment works it is not unheard of for warts to return.‚ It is best to be patient when dealing with children warts and remember, children are just small people so they often feel embarrassed or insecure that their warts make them different.‚ Even if you feel the warts will go away on their own in time, try to understand if your child wants his or her warts removed.‚

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Beverly Vines-Haines is the Marketing, Research and Text Coordinator for Healing Leaf LLC.‚ This is a company that tackles the toughest skin and nail conditions known to man.‚ A best-selling author for years before she became a part of Healing Leaf LLC, she is dedicated to natural healing and creating pure products that are both safe and earth friendly. For more information about these effective products, visit www.NoFungusAmongUs.com.