At a glance
- Warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and affect about 10% of children.
- Without treatment, warts go away in about 2 years; home treatment often clears them in 2 to 3 months.
- The usual home treatment is 17% salicylic acid, put on the wart once a day.
- Plantar warts on the sole are flat, may hurt, and can feel like walking on a pebble.
- Do not use wart removers on the face or genitals; those warts need a doctor.
- Children with diabetes or a weak immune system should see a doctor before treating warts.
- Children do not need to miss school; cover warts for contact sports and swimming.
Types of warts
Warts appear about 3 months after contact with the virus, which often gets in through small breaks in the skin.
A corn, callus or other growth can look like a wart. If you are unsure, have the doctor look before you treat it.
| Type | Where | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Common wart | Hands, around or under nails, knees, face | Rough, raised bump; yellow, tan, brown, gray or black |
| Plantar wart | Sole of the foot | Flat and often painful, with tiny red or black dots |
Home treatment
- Treating is optional; a wart that does not bother your child can be left alone.
- Apply 17% salicylic acid to the top of the wart once a day, keeping it off normal skin, eyes and mouth.
- If there are many warts, treat the 3 largest first.
- Duct tape over the wart, alone or on top of the acid, may help; change it once a day.
- Stop for a few days if the skin becomes very sore, raw or blistered.
- If home treatment fails, doctors can freeze warts every 2 to 4 weeks; it can hurt, so it is used mostly in older children.
Salicylic acid routine
- SoakOnce or twice a week, soak the wart in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Rub offGently rub off the dead white skin with a washcloth or a disposable emery board used only for the wart.
- DryDry the area well.
- ApplyPut the acid on the wart only, every day.
- CoverCover with duct tape if you use it, and wash hands afterward.
When to call the doctor
- Seek care now for a red streak or spreading redness with fever, or a child who seems very sick.
- Call within 24 hours for spreading redness without fever, or a painful red lump like a boil.
- Call during office hours for a plantar wart, warts on the face, genitals or anus, or 4 or more warts.
- Also call if new warts appear after two weeks of treatment, or warts are still there after 8 weeks.
- See a doctor for a growth that changes, bleeds, itches or burns, or if you are not sure it is a wart.
Warts: when to get help
- Seek care nowRed streak or spreading redness with fever, or a very sick child.
- Call within 24 hoursSpreading redness without fever, or a boil-like lump.
- Call during office hoursPlantar wart, face or genitals, 4 or more warts, or not gone after 8 weeks of treatment.
- Care at home3 or fewer common warts: salicylic acid daily, or leave them alone.
Stopping the spread
- Discourage picking, biting or sucking on warts; this spreads them to new skin, including the face.
- Wash hands after touching or treating a wart, and give each family member their own towel.
- Wear sandals in locker rooms, public showers and around pools.
- Children with warts can go to school and child care; cover warts for contact sports and swimming.
- The HPV vaccine, routine at 11 and possible from 9, prevents genital warts.
Common questions
Are warts contagious?
Mildly. They pass through close contact or shared items like towels, and through bare feet on wet floors.
How long do warts last in children?
Left alone, many fade within a couple of years as the body fights the virus. Daily home care usually shortens that to a few months.
Does duct tape really work on warts?
Study results are mixed, but it is cheap and safe. It seems to work best on top of salicylic acid.
Can I use a freezing kit from the pharmacy on my child’s wart?
Store kits are weaker than the freezing done in the office and can sting. Follow the package age limits and ask the doctor first for young children.
Why does my child keep getting warts?
New warts often come from picking or chewing existing ones, and they show up 1 to 2 months later. Covering warts and keeping hands away helps break the cycle.
Sources
- AAP — Warts: Causes, Treatment & Prevention
- AAP — Warts (KidsDoc Symptom Checker)
- AAD — Warts: Dermatologists’ tips for at-home treatment
- AAD — Warts: Diagnosis and treatment
Written for Pedemy in our own words from the sources above; checked October 2026. For education only, not medical advice. Pedemy is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the organizations cited.