Dealing with warts can be frustrating. If you’re looking for a quick at-home solution to get rid of one, you may be tempted to just cut it off with a pair of nail clippers. However, this carries risks if not done properly.<\/p>\n
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the do’s and don’ts of using nail clippers to remove warts, when it is and isn’t recommended, and alternative treatment options that may be safer and more effective for certain types of warts.<\/p>\n
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Using nail clippers to cut off warts is not generally recommended as it can cause bleeding, scarring and increase risk the wart growing back or spreading to other areas<\/b>.<\/p>\n
There are safer at-home treatment options to remove warts, depending on the type and location, though for some cases seeing a dermatologist is best.<\/p>\n
Warts are small, rough growths on the skin caused by infection with certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 100 types of HPV that can cause warts on different parts of the body. Common warts, usually found on hands and feet, are caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27, and 57.<\/p>\n
Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet, while flat warts can occur anywhere but are most common on the face, legs, arms, and back. HPV thrives in warm, moist environments like locker rooms and swimming pools.<\/p>\n
The HPV viruses that cause common hand and foot warts are highly contagious. They can spread through direct skin-to-skin contact or by touching objects like towels or surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Up to 10% of the general population has common warts at any given time.<\/p>\n
Hand warts are especially common in children and teens, who spread them easily through play and sports activities. Using public showers and walking barefoot in locker rooms increases risk of exposure to wart-causing HPV.<\/p>\n
In addition to common warts, other wart types include:<\/p>\n
The location and appearance of warts provide clues as to which HPV type is causing them. However, many types can cause warts almost anywhere. Warts that occur on moist surfaces like the genitals are caused by different HPV strains than other common warts.<\/p>\n
While warts sometimes go away on their own, most people opt to have them removed due to discomfort or appearance. However, certain types like plantar warts have a high recurrence rate after treatment. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), plantar warts recur in up to two-thirds of cases because the virus remains after visible signs of the wart are removed.[1]<\/a><\/sup> Periungual warts can also be challenging to eradicate completely.<\/p>\n Multiple treatments are often needed for stubborn wart types.<\/p>\n Using nail clippers to remove warts may seem like a quick and easy DIY solution. If done properly, the wart can potentially be removed in one clipping motion. This avoids the frequent applications and waiting period of medicated wart removers.<\/p>\n However, this quick-fix approach has some major drawbacks that should be considered first.<\/p>\n Attempting to dig out and cut off a wart carries risks of infection, bleeding, and scarring. Warts have roots that embed into the surrounding skin, so hacking at them can cause trauma to healthy tissue. That opens the door to bacteria entering and causing infection.<\/p>\n Excessive bleeding can also occur if blood vessels are severed. And if the removal damages deep layers of skin, scarring is likely to result. Yikes! \ud83d\ude31<\/p>\n According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), improper wart removal procedures result in infections up to 10% of the time. So it’s wise to avoid cut-happy, do-it-yourself treatments when gentler medicated options exist.<\/p>\n The tricky thing about warts is they embed root-like structures deep into the skin. If these roots are not fully destroyed, the wart will simply regrow. Studies show recurrence rates of warts treated at home with nail clippers, razors, etc. can be up to 21%. \ud83d\udc4e<\/p>\n In contrast, properly applied medicated treatments like salicylic acid have much lower recurrence rates of only 5-8%. The takeaway is that DIY clipping rarely gets down to the roots, so there’s a decent chance that pesky wart will keep bouncing back.<\/p>\nPros and Cons of Using Nail Clippers to Remove Warts<\/h2>\n
Can provide quick removal if successful<\/h3>\n
Risk of infection, bleeding, scarring at removal site<\/h3>\n
May not fully remove root leading to recurrence<\/h3>\n