Wart issue

[ct79]

About 8 years ago I went camping with some friends and one had forgotten his razor, I let him use mine and while I knew he had a wart on his face I really didn't understand what they were and what HPV was.

Within a few months I developed my first wart on my face. I was also shaving my head back then and eventually developed one on the back of my head. Over the years they have come and gone but following a certain pattern in that while one goes down another appears at the same time in a different location. Often it is a spot that seemingly turns into the wart as the skin goes rough and flatish then slowly becomes a raised growth.

They mostly appear in the beard area or on my head within my hair though once I had one where the skin of my nose meets the face. For the most part I only ever had 2 at a time but recently 2 more popped up while the other 2 remained.

I have been to my General Practioner(I'm in the UK) and he told me to use a salicylic acid treatment to remove the dead skin then booked me in for a cryo appointment.

Unfortunately this didn't help and eventually the 2 warts he treated were back at full strength.

I really don't know what to do now and am getting frustrated now that 2 more have appeared. I usually leave them be but am recently in frustration have started picking at them till they bleed( I know that probably makes it easier for them to spread). When I do pick at them what usually gets pulled out is a a piece of dead skin with a whitish 'root' and once or twice the white bit has been relatively large and almost spherical.

I've also tried multi vitamins to boost my immune system but that hasn't helped.

8 years one I'm getting really frustrated and with them being on my face it is ruining my confidence.

I want to go back to my GP but I know he will just suggest the same treatment as before and was wondering if any doctors here could give me advice on what treatment to ask for him to give me.

[DrAttili]

I am sorry to hear about your warts. Unfortunately warts are very difficult to get rid off once you get them. Best getting them all burnt off by a Dermatologist and also stop shaving and just trim your beard. That way you wouldn't be spreading the virus every time you shave!

Hope thats helpful


Regards

Dr.Sasi Attili
Consultant Dermatologist

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Apart from warts, these bumps can be due to seborrheic keratosis or sebaceous cysts. Seborrheic keratosis is a benign skin growth and the cause is exactly not known but sunlight and hereditary predisposition have been proposed. I suggest you to get an evaluation done from a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.