Warts Treatment and Care in Grand Rapids, MI

Warts are very common skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV that can lead to different kinds of warts, including common warts, plantar warts, flat warts, filiform warts, mosaic warts, and genital warts.

In Grand Rapids, MI, warts are frequently seen in both children and adults. Because kids and teens in our area are active in school sports, swimming, and winter activities, they may be at higher risk for certain types of warts, especially on the hands and feet.

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and are concerned about warts, you can seek care from local providers such as Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, and local dermatology and podiatry clinics.

How Common Are Warts?

  • Warts are especially common in childhood and adolescence.
  • Some estimates suggest up to 1 in 5 children may have warts at any given time.
  • Children ages 12 to 16 years are most commonly affected.

Without medical treatment, many wart infections will eventually go away on their own as the immune system clears the virus. However, this can take months to years, and warts can spread to other areas of the body or to other people.

What Do Warts Look Like?

The appearance of a wart depends on the type and where it is located:

  • Size: Usually 1–10 millimeters in diameter
  • Surface: Can be rough or smooth
  • Number: May appear as a single wart or in clusters
  • Sensation: May itch, feel tender, or be painless

Common locations include:

  • Face
  • Hands and fingers
  • Knees
  • Soles of the feet (plantar warts)
  • Genital and anal area (genital warts)

Cold, dry Michigan winters can dry out the skin and lead to small cracks, which may make it easier for HPV to enter and cause warts, especially on exposed areas like hands and feet.

Types of Warts

Common Warts (Verruca Vulgaris)

  • Appearance: Hard, raised lumps with a rough, “grainy” surface
  • Color: Flesh-colored, white, or slightly darker
  • Common sites: Hands, fingers, knees, elbows
  • Any body part can be affected, but in children in Grand Rapids, hands and knees are especially common due to sports, playground activities, and minor skin injuries.

Flat Warts (Verruca Plana)

  • Appearance: Small, smooth, flat-topped bumps
  • Often appear in clusters
  • Common sites: Face, lower legs, backs of the hands
  • More common in children and teens, and in people who shave (which can spread the virus along the skin).

Filiform Warts

  • Appearance: Thin, long, finger-like projections
  • Common sites: Face, especially around the eyelids, lips, and sometimes the neck
  • These can be more noticeable cosmetically, leading many people to seek removal.

Mosaic Warts

  • Appearance: Groups of tightly clustered warts that form a “mosaic” pattern
  • Common sites: Hands and soles of the feet
  • These can be more stubborn and uncomfortable, especially when on weight‑bearing areas.

Plantar Warts

  • Appearance: Small, hard bumps on the soles of the feet; may be flat from pressure
  • Often have tiny black dots (clotted blood vessels) inside
  • Common sites: Heels, balls of the feet, areas that bear weight
  • In Grand Rapids, plantar warts are frequently seen in people who use public pools, locker rooms, and gym showers, especially during indoor winter sports season.

Genital Warts

  • Appearance: Soft, flesh-colored or grayish growths that may be flat or have a cauliflower-like surface
  • Common sites: Penis, vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, and surrounding skin
  • Cause: Sexually transmitted HPV types
  • Some HPV types that cause genital warts are also associated with cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, vulva, and throat.

If you suspect genital warts, you should see a doctor in Grand Rapids promptly. A “wait and see” approach is not recommended for genital warts.

Who Is at Higher Risk for Warts?

Anyone can develop warts, but risk is higher if you:

  • Have frequent skin injuries (cuts, abrasions, hangnails)
  • Have dry, cracked skin from cold Michigan winters
  • Frequently get hands or feet wet (swimmers, dishwashers, healthcare workers)
  • Sweat heavily on hands or feet
  • Use public pools, locker rooms, or communal showers
  • Bite nails or pick at skin around nails
  • Shave over areas with warts (spreads the virus along the skin)
  • Have a weakened immune system (due to illness or medications)
  • Have close contact with someone who has warts

HPV spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact or indirectly from surfaces (like pool decks, mats, and shared equipment).

How Do Warts Spread?

You can get warts by:

  • Direct contact with someone else’s wart
  • Touching surfaces contaminated with HPV (locker rooms, pool decks, gym equipment)
  • Scratching, picking, or shaving your own warts and spreading the virus to nearby skin
  • Walking barefoot in public showers or pool areas

In school-aged children in Grand Rapids, new warts occur about three times more often in kids who already have warts than in those who don’t.

When to See a Doctor in Grand Rapids

Most common warts are easy to recognize, but you should see a healthcare provider if:

  • You are unsure if a growth is a wart
  • The wart changes rapidly in color, size, or shape
  • The wart is painful, bleeds, or frequently gets irritated
  • You have multiple warts or warts that have been present for more than two years
  • You have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system
  • You suspect genital warts
  • The wart is on your face or in a sensitive area and you’re concerned about scarring

You can seek evaluation from:

  • Your primary care provider in Grand Rapids
  • Dermatology clinics associated with Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Local podiatrists for plantar warts on the feet
  • Kent County Health Department or Grand Rapids Public Health for sexual health and HPV-related concerns

Diagnosis of Warts

Most warts can be diagnosed by a simple skin examination. In unusual cases, or if cancer is a concern, your doctor may:

  • Use a dermatoscope (a magnifying tool)
  • Gently scrape the surface to look for characteristic pinpoint bleeding
  • Perform a small skin biopsy to rule out other conditions

Treatment Options for Warts in Grand Rapids

There are many effective treatments for warts. Warts can be stubborn, so more than one treatment or repeated sessions may be needed. Discuss the risks and benefits of each option with your doctor, as some treatments can cause scarring or skin discoloration.

1. Do Nothing (“Watchful Waiting”)

  • About 65% of common warts clear up on their own within two years.
  • This approach may be reasonable for small, painless warts in otherwise healthy people.
  • It is not recommended if:
    • You have multiple warts
    • Warts have been present for more than two years
    • Warts are painful, spreading, or causing embarrassment
    • You have genital warts

Because children in Grand Rapids with warts tend to develop new ones more often, many families prefer active treatment.

2. Topical Medications (Applied to the Skin)

These are commonly used in primary care and dermatology offices in Grand Rapids.

Salicylic Acid and Lactic Acid

  • Available in over-the-counter liquids, gels, and plasters
  • Work by gradually peeling away the wart tissue
  • Often used for common and plantar warts
  • Must be applied regularly (daily or several times per week) for weeks to months
  • Soaking the wart in warm water and gently filing with a pumice stone or emery board can improve results
  • Can irritate or damage healthy skin, so follow instructions carefully

Some stronger topical agents are best applied by a doctor or dermatologist to reduce the risk of burns or scarring.

Other Topical Agents

  • Some prescription creams or solutions can be applied at home under medical guidance.
  • It may take three months or more of consistent use to clear the warts.

3. Immune-Modulating Treatments

Imiquimod Cream

  • Used primarily for genital warts and some other HPV-related lesions
  • Stimulates your immune system to fight the HPV infection
  • Applied several times per week as directed by your doctor
  • Can cause local redness, itching, or irritation

DPCP (Diphenylcyclopropenone)

  • Used in some specialist dermatology clinics
  • The skin is made hypersensitive to DPCP, then very low concentrations are applied around the wart
  • This triggers an immune response that attacks the wart
  • Typically reserved for stubborn warts that have not responded to other treatments
  • Usually available only through specialist clinics, often associated with larger health systems like Spectrum Health or Trinity Health.

4. Cryotherapy (Freezing)

  • Performed in many Grand Rapids primary care and dermatology offices
  • Liquid nitrogen is applied to freeze the wart
  • The area may blister and then scab over as the wart tissue dies
  • Treatments are usually repeated every 2–4 weeks
  • It may take up to four months of regular cryotherapy to fully remove the wart
  • Can be uncomfortable and sometimes leaves temporary skin lightening or darkening

5. Curettage and Electrocautery

  • A minor surgical procedure done under local anesthesia
  • The wart is scraped off (curettage) and the base is cauterized (burned) to destroy remaining wart tissue
  • The wound usually heals in 7–10 days
  • May leave a small scar
  • Often used for isolated, stubborn warts in areas where scarring is acceptable

6. Laser Therapy

  • A focused laser beam is used to burn off wart tissue
  • Typically performed by dermatologists or specialists
  • May be considered for resistant warts that do not respond to other treatments
  • Scarring or pigment changes can occur

Genital Warts and Cervical Cancer Screening in Grand Rapids

Some types of HPV that cause genital warts can also increase the risk of cervical cancer and other cancers. If you have or suspect genital warts:

  • See your doctor promptly for evaluation and treatment.
  • A “wait and see” approach is not recommended for genital warts.
  • Adults with a cervix who have genital warts should also have a Cervical Screening Test (Pap test and/or HPV test) as recommended by their provider.

You can access cervical cancer screening and genital wart treatment through:

  • OB/GYN clinics at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health
  • Community health centers in Grand Rapids
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for sexual health services and referrals

HPV Vaccination in Grand Rapids (Gardasil®9)

HPV vaccination is a key tool in preventing certain HPV infections, including those that cause genital warts and several cancers.

  • Gardasil®9 protects against multiple HPV types linked to genital warts and cervical, anal, and other cancers.
  • It is recommended for preteens and teens, but can also be given to many adults up to age 26, and sometimes older based on risk.
  • The vaccine prevents new HPV infections; it does not treat existing warts.

In Grand Rapids, HPV vaccines are available through:

  • Pediatricians and family medicine clinics
  • School-based health centers
  • Kent County Health Department immunization clinics
  • Major health systems (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health)

Ask your healthcare provider if you or your child are up to date on HPV vaccination.

Home Care and Prevention Tips for Grand Rapids Residents

To reduce your risk of getting or spreading warts:

  • Keep skin moisturized during dry Michigan winters to prevent cracks.
  • Avoid picking, scratching, or biting warts or surrounding skin.
  • Do not share razors, towels, socks, or shoes.
  • Wear flip-flops or shower shoes in public locker rooms, pool areas, and dorm showers.
  • Keep feet dry; change socks if they become sweaty.
  • Cover warts on hands or feet with a bandage or athletic tape when using shared equipment or facilities.
  • Use condoms and dental dams to reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of HPV transmission during sexual activity.
  • Consider HPV vaccination for eligible family members.

Where to Get Help for Warts in Grand Rapids, MI

If you think you have warts and want diagnosis or treatment, contact:

  • Your GP / Primary Care Doctor – first stop for evaluation and treatment
  • Dermatologists – for stubborn, facial, or extensive warts
  • Podiatrists – for plantar warts on the feet
  • OB/GYN or sexual health clinics – for genital warts and cervical screening
  • Kent County Health Department & Grand Rapids Public Health – for HPV vaccination, sexual health services, and referrals

Timely evaluation can help you manage symptoms, reduce spreading warts to others, and address any HPV-related cancer risks appropriately.