Health Tip: Dealing With Warts

Other than with medication, don't try to remove them yourself

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(HealthDay News) -- Warts are caused by a virus. While generally harmless, they can be unattractive and irritating. Some types of warts are easily spread from one person to another.

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The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions for dealing with warts:

• Avoid direct contact with anyone who has a wart.
• If you touch a wart on your own skin, wash your hands immediately.
• Over-the-counter medicines are available to treat warts on the skin (not the genitals or face). Chronic warts may require a prescription medication, or in some cases, surgical removal.
• Never try to remove a wart yourself by scraping, cutting, tearing or picking it.

-- Diana Kohnle