facial flat wart

[thanks08]

I had many facial flat warts about 5 years ago now.. many being 50 to 60.  Using just clearsil pads, and applying drops several times daily to each one, they dried up and slowly sloughed off over the course of a month or so.  That was after enduring a year and a half with them, and other failed remedies.

Anyway, my question.

Two have popped up since that time and have hung around for about a year now.  I've been just "waiting" for them to go away, as they aren't very noticeable.  I am, however, concerned about the possibility of them being contangious through  facial contact with my girl friend.  She is aware of them, and that i had many in the past, but I was told by a dermatologist before i had nothing to worry about.  Reading some info online though, the possibility still has me concerned.  Do i have reason to be concerned?  I've seen posted before that they aren't contagious, as i've been told before, but then how did i end up with them?

thanks for any help.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

It is nice of you to write back and update us about your condition. Glad to know that you are doing well and also following up with your doctor regularly.

Let us know if you need any other information.

Regards.

[thanks08]

Well, one week after the visit, the frozen wart fell off and left perfectly healthy skin behind.  I was surprised, thinking it might scar since it blistered a bit, but all I see are pores now.  I'll continue treating the area with retin-a for awhile just to make sure it doesn't return.

Seems like if you have just a few of them, freezing them is a fast and easy way to get rid of them.

Really glad i went.

thanks

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad the post was of help to you.

You should follow up with your skin specialist regularly and discuss the further plan of management according to your symptomatic response.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other queries.

Regards.

[thanks08]

Saw the dermatologist today.  Of the two bumps of concern, we both agreed one was certainly a wart, and we opted to cryo-freeze it.  Easy enough.  He gave me retin-a (tretinoin) to treat the other bump as a just in case it was one... see if it responded.

He said, because I had them in the past and they all went away, most likely, i had developed immunity... but it's possible to have lapses in immunity, and have one crop up like it did.

Transmission to others, in his opinion, is possible as it is a virus.  However, it depends on the other person's immunity.  He said he can and does touch them all day without concern because he has immunity.  So, to be on the safe side, he always advises treatment.

Every dermatologist apparently has different opinions on this issue, as my first dermatologist when I had many of them said there wasn't any reason for concern of transmission from interaction with a significant other.... or at least, it was of low probability.  I've seen the same opinion posted in here by one of the dermatologists responding in these forums.

I will however air on the safe side and refrain from facial skin contact until i'm certain this little terd is gone.

-thanks for your thoughts

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Facial warts could be due to viral infection - human papilloma virus or present normally. They are contagious if they are secondary to the viral infection.

If they are not responding to medical treatment and have been present for such a long time it would be advisable to discuss with your doctor about cryotherapy, electrosurgery, keratolytics, contact immunotherapy, etc and what would be the best option in your particular case.

You should consult your skin specialist and get a clinical examination and clear out any doubts that you have.

Let us know what your doctor advises and post us if you need any other information.

Update us on how you are doing.

Regards.