A wart is a skin infection caused by a group of virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). It invades your skin through small cuts or breaks and developes into a hard, rough growth on the surface of the skin. It is commonly seen on the bottom of the foot (plantar wart) or on the fingers and palms of the hand, but they can also appear at other parts of the body (skin, inside the mouth, genitals, rectal area). They are infectious and can spread from one person to another. However, some people are more naturally resistant to the HPV viruses and don’t seem to get warts as easily as other people.

Often warts disappear on their own, although it may take many months, or even years, for the warts to go away. On the other hand, some just won’t go away on their own. It is not known why some warts disappear and others don’t. Warts are often bothersome as they can bleed and cause pain when they’re bumped. They can also cause cosmetic problems, for example, if they grow on your face. Treatment decreases the chance that the warts will be spread to other areas of your body or to other people.

Traditionally, warts are treated by applying salicylic acid on it, especially those on the hands, feet or knees. Another method is by applying cantharidin where the doctor “paints” the chemical onto the wart. Liquid nitrogen may also be used to freeze the wart. This is called cryotherapy. Liquid nitrogen can be applied using a probe, cotton or a cotton swab. It may also be sprayed on directly onto the wart. The spraying machine (cyrojet) looks a bit like a Ridsect canister. Apart from that, warts can also be removed by burning, cutting or laser. This treatment methods are stronger, but they may leave a scar.

Today, I had the opportunity to use the cryojet to spray someone’s wart. Though I was nervous that I might have poor aim and miss the wart, it turned out alright in the end. In fact, it was rather cool