- Discussion:
- caused by a DNA virus of the Papovirus group;
- characterized by localized lesions w/o central core and with sharp margins and high vascularity (vigorous punctate bleeding with shaving)
and pain with lateral compression;
- three groups: solitary warts with surrounding callus
- multiple warts with a large "mother" and tiny satellites;
- mosaic patches of coalescent cores;
- Treatment Options:
- observation: 1/2 resolve in one year, and upto 70% may resolve by 2 years;
- salicylic acid plaster (+/- formalin) or bichloracetic/trichloroacetic acid preparations;
- strategy is to reduce the mass of the wart (which relieves pain), and to then let the wart spontaneously resolve with time;
- cryosurgery or liquid nitrogren application (small warts)
- subdermal local anesthesia injections;
- blunt dissection/curettage;
- deep electrosurgery or excision should be avoided because of associated scarring;
- avoid any treatment that produces scarring