med student with common wart on finger

[alais7]

I will be starting 3rd year rotations in about a week and I have a small wart on the back of my finger next to the nail. I have had it for about 5 years on and off - it goes away and comes back again. Two questions:

1. Obviously I should wear gloves when examining patients until this clears up, but what about for handling instruments and things like that? it's on the back of my hand, so I don't expect it to directly come in contact with anything, but I'm not sure what to do about it.

2. Any suggestions on fast wart removal? Any good over-the-counter products?

Thanks in advance for your help.

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[Moosecakes]

Hit up the lab for some liquid nitrogen and a q-tip. Enjoy!
Keep it covered up with a bandaid when at school/hospital until it crusts and falls off.

 

[Rendar5]

little wad of duct tape sticky side down. cover with bandaid cause no one likes to see duct tape on a health care provider's fingers.

 

[cpants]

Letting this linger for 5 years is pretty gross, even if you were not a healthcare professional. I would get the help of a dermatologist asap. I had a pesky one on my left index about 10 years ago. I got it frozen once, and it came back, so I just pulled the trigger and had my derm excise it under local. Hurt like hell, but it was worth it. Never had a problem again.

 

[lildave2586]

little wad of duct tape sticky side down. cover with bandaid cause no one likes to see duct tape on a health care provider's fingers.

👍 Always works for me. Takes about two weeks though.

 

[nlax30]

Just go see a Derm and have it removed.

 

[VitaminH]

If you freeze a wart and it comes back, then that just means you are not freezing it long enough. Save the money you would spend on going to the derm and really FREEZE that thing off.

 

[Kuba]

Over the counter Compound W Freeze-off. Just like liquid nitrogen. Make sure to keep it on long enough (30-40 secs) so it falls off if its on the pads of your fingers. If its on soft skin, then like 20 secs. Should come off within a week if you do it right. Warning - stings like crazy for a few seconds.