The sight of armpit warts can be disturbing, but fortunately, there are a number of removal methods, some of which require surgery but others which can be handled with simpler solutions. A contagious virus causes warts but you can get rid of them by using duct tape, hot water, and having some patience. Another way to remove armpit warts is by using salicylic acid. In more extreme cases, surgery may be warranted. Surgical options include the use of lasers or liquid nitrogen.
Armpit warts occur because of the human papillomavirus virus (HPV), which is contagious and is transmitted from one person to another via physical contact. It should be noted that warts in the armpit are not dangerous, they are merely unpleasant to look at. Although the armpit is not usually visible to others, removing these warts is important for many people who dislike looking at them in the mirror and feeling them on their skin.
There are many non-surgical methods of removing these kind of warts. One of the simplest involves shaving your armpit, placing duct tape over the wart and leaving the tape on for about a week. Once the time has elapsed, you should take a warm bath for a few minutes, making sure the wart remains underwater for the duration. You should then use a nail file or pumice stone to file off the armpit wart tissue which will have become loose after the bath. This process can then be repeated until the wart has been removed.
Salicylic acid is another solution and can be found in medication which does not require a prescription. Warts are generally filled with keratin, which is a type of protein, and salicylic acid is known to break down keratin. Application of medication containing salicylic acid can help remove the external wart tissue. You should follow the medication instructions and keep applying the product until the wart is successfully removed.
If you have stubborn armpit warts, a surgical procedure may be the only effective method of removal. Freezing warts with liquid nitrogen will often remove them. The liquid nitrogen produces a blister underneath the wart. Eventually, the blister will fall off and the wart will come off along with the skin. Laser surgery, which employs a carbon dioxide laser to burn off the armpit warts is also available if other treatments are unsuccessful.