Uh oh, it would seem that the small irritated spot on your foot, hand, or other area of your skin is not just a callus like you originally thought. Instead, you have found out that it is none other than a wart, one of those ugly bumps usually reserved for icky creatures like witches and things that go bump in the night. But since you are neither, how did you get it, and what is more, how do you get rid of it?

Your usually unblemished skin has been the victim of an infection caused by what is known as HPV (Human Papillomavirus). Because there are over one hundred types of this particular virus, they can be extremely versatile and occur anywhere on your body. You do not need to do anything drastic to have developed a wart.

It may have been as simple as being touched by someone who already has warts or from using objects such as towels from the person who has warts. Now that the virus has been transported to your skin, it has begun to simply do what it normally does; replicate and develop a raised surface on your skin, somewhat similar to a blister without the liquid. There are many types of warts: common, flat, plantar, filiform, mosaic, and a few others. You can do research to find out which type you have or you can go straight to doctor to have it promptly removed.

Going to the doctor is only one of the several options you have when it comes to getting rid of a wart. Some warts simply go away on their own, but others may continue to reoccur for years. A doctor has different methods of wart removal that can include cutting the wart out, using laser treatments to destroy the wart, burning the wart, or freezing the wart by the use of liquid nitrogen.

Your doctor will have to decide which method is right for the wart you have, and sometimes you may have to return several times in order for the wart to be completely removed as many times one treatment is not enough.

You can try to get rid of the wart on your own as long as you do not attempt anything too drastic. You just want the wart gone; you do not want to leave a scar or other blemish on your skin. Many drugstores have medications that are made for wart removal. Salicylic acid is one of these methods but it will take time.

You should soak the area that has the wart before putting on the acid, as moist skin allows for easier absorption of the acid and enables it to work more quickly and effectively. You can later use a pumice stone or emery board to file off the dead areas of the wart so the next application works just as well.

Some people utilize a “duct tape treatment.” By covering the wart with duct tape, the wart and surrounding skin becomes irritated and stimulates the immune system into action, thus leading it to attack the wart. After a week has gone by, remove the duct tape and soak the area affected by the wart. Use a pumice stone or emery board to file away dead tissue. You can continue this method until the wart is gone, but if not, you should go see your doctor.

Having a wart is no cause for panic. Yes, they may be unsightly and make you uncomfortable, but you can treat them. Do not panic the next time you are at the pool or other public area because many people have a high resistance to developing warts. As long as you keep your skin clean and do not get careless, you do not need to be a worrywart about warts.