Common Warts in Children in Brampton: Patience, Treatment and When to Ask

Your child holds up a finger and asks what the bumpy little growth is. Or a hard, painful spot appears on the bottom of their foot after a season of swimming lessons. Warts are one of the most common skin complaints in school-aged children, and while they are not dangerous, they can be annoying, embarrassing and surprisingly persistent.

Many warts eventually disappear on their own, but that can take months or even a couple of years. In the meantime, children may pick at them, worry about how they look, or feel discomfort when walking. Understanding what warts are and what treatment options exist helps families decide whether to treat or wait.

In Ontario, pharmacists can assess certain types of warts as one of their minor ailments. At Pharmasave BramNorth, 25 & 26 - 2 Dewside Drive, you can learn more on our warts page and ask whether your child’s wart is suitable for pharmacy care.

What causes warts

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common family of viruses with many different types. Certain types cause common skin warts on hands and feet; these are different from the types associated with other health concerns. The virus infects the top layer of skin, causing cells to grow faster than normal and form a rough, raised bump.

Children are more prone to warts than adults, likely because their immune systems have not yet encountered many HPV types, and because they tend to have more small cuts and scrapes that let the virus in. Warts are not caused by touching toads, despite the old myth.

Common types of warts in kids

Several types of warts are common in children:

• Common warts usually appear on the fingers, hands, knees and elbows. They are raised, rough and often skin-coloured or greyish, sometimes with tiny black dots, which are small clotted blood vessels.
• Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet. Because of pressure from walking, they tend to grow inward and may look flat with a hard, thickened surface. They can be painful, like walking on a pebble.
• Flat warts are smaller, smoother and flatter, often appearing in groups on the face, hands or legs.
• Filiform warts are long, thin growths that may appear around the mouth, nose or eyes.

Warts on the face, around the nails or in the genital area may need a doctor’s assessment rather than home treatment.

How warts spread

Warts can spread from person to person through direct skin contact or by touching surfaces that have the virus on them. Warm, damp environments are ideal for spread, which is why plantar warts are common among children who use community pools, change rooms and shared showers.

Warts can also spread on a child’s own body. Picking, biting or scratching a wart can transfer the virus to nearby skin. Children who bite their nails or pick at hangnails may develop warts around the nails.

Not everyone exposed to the virus develops warts. Immune responses vary, which is why one sibling may get warts and another does not.

To treat or to wait?

Because many warts clear up on their own as the immune system recognises the virus, waiting is a reasonable option, especially for small, painless warts that do not bother the child. Some families prefer to leave warts alone and simply keep an eye on them.

Treatment may be worth considering if:

• The wart is painful, such as a plantar wart on a weight-bearing part of the foot.
• The wart is spreading or multiplying.
• Your child is bothered by its appearance.
• The wart is in a spot where it gets bumped or irritated often.

Treatment does not always work quickly, and warts can return. Patience is needed whichever approach you choose.

It can help to involve your child in the decision. An older child who is bothered by a wart on their hand may be motivated to stick with a daily treatment routine, while a younger child who does not notice the wart may find nightly applications more upsetting than the wart itself. Taking a photo of the wart at the start, with a coin or ruler beside it for scale, makes it easier to see whether it is changing over the following weeks, since gradual progress is hard to judge by eye.

Treatment options to discuss with a pharmacist

Several non-prescription treatments are available in Canada. The most common include:

• Salicylic acid products, available as liquids, gels or medicated pads. They gradually soften and remove the layers of the wart over weeks.
• Freezing products available over the counter, which use a cold substance to freeze the wart. These are not as cold as the treatment used in a doctor’s office.

Not every product is suitable for every child. Some have minimum age limits, and some should not be used on certain parts of the body or on children with conditions such as diabetes or poor circulation. A pharmacist can help you choose a suitable option based on your child’s age, the type and location of the wart, and their health history.

When using any wart treatment:

• Follow the directions exactly.
• Protect the surrounding healthy skin, for example with petroleum jelly, as some products can irritate it.
• Soaking the wart in warm water first may help some treatments work better.
• Gently file away dead skin between treatments with a disposable emery board, used only for the wart and then thrown away.
• Keep going for the recommended period, often several weeks.
• Stop and seek advice if the skin becomes very red, sore or blistered.

Treatments a doctor may offer

If home treatments do not work, or if the wart is in a sensitive area, a doctor may offer other options. These can include freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy), prescription-strength topical treatments, or other procedures. Some treatments can be uncomfortable for young children, so doctors often consider the child’s age and tolerance when recommending an approach.

Home remedies to approach with caution

Families sometimes hear about remedies such as covering warts with duct tape, applying garlic or using apple cider vinegar. Evidence for these methods is mixed or limited, and some, like applying strong acidic or caustic substances, can irritate or burn the skin.

Before trying any home remedy, talk to a pharmacist. Never cut, burn or try to dig out a wart at home, as this can cause pain, bleeding, infection and scarring.

Stopping the spread at home and at the pool

A few habits reduce the chance of warts spreading:

• Encourage your child not to pick, bite or scratch warts.
• Cover warts with a bandage, particularly during activities like swimming or sports.
• Wear flip-flops or water shoes in public pools, change rooms and showers.
• Keep feet clean and dry, and change socks daily.
• Do not share towels, socks, shoes or nail tools.
• Wash hands after touching a wart.
• Use a separate emery board or pumice stone for the wart and do not use it elsewhere.

When to see a doctor

Have a wart assessed by a doctor if:

• It is on the face, genitals or around the nails.
• It bleeds, changes colour, grows rapidly or looks unusual.
• You are not sure it is a wart.
• It is very painful or affects walking.
• Many warts appear quickly.
• It does not respond to treatment.
• Your child has a weakened immune system or diabetes.
• It shows signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling or pus.

Warts in the genital area in children should always be assessed by a doctor.

Talking to children about warts

Children may feel self-conscious about warts, especially on visible areas like the hands. Reassure them that warts are very common, harmless and not caused by anything they did wrong. Explain that the body usually fights them off eventually.

If teasing becomes an issue, talk to your child’s teacher. Covering warts with a bandage can help some children feel more comfortable.

Turning treatment into a routine rather than a chore can also help. Pairing the nightly application with something your child enjoys, such as a bedtime story, and tracking progress on a simple chart gives them a sense of control. Praise them for leaving the wart alone during the day, since picking is one of the main ways warts spread to new spots.

Visit us for help with warts

If your child has a wart that is bothering them, our pharmacists can take a look, help you decide whether to treat or wait, and suggest a suitable product if appropriate. Ask us whether a pharmacist assessment is available for your child’s age and the location of the wart, and about any related fees.

You can visit Pharmasave BramNorth at 25 & 26 - 2 Dewside Drive, Brampton, ON L6R 3Y5, or call us at (905) 792-7333. Check our contact page for store details, or use the booking page to schedule a consultation. You may also find our other minor ailments services helpful for common childhood skin concerns.

This is general information about warts in children and is not meant to diagnose or treat any specific condition. Please consult a pharmacist or doctor before starting wart treatment.