Infected Warts, Skin Tags, Moles: Symptoms, Treatment & When to See a Doctor.

It is common for skin growths to be infected, usually by bacteria. In such cases, treatment at home is not advised.

Physical injuries sustained on skin growths such as skin tags and warts will encourage bacteria entry and consequent infections. In such cases, the affected areas will become painful and form pus.

If you are not certain what skin growth you are dealing with, the best thing is to see your primary doctor for a medical diagnosis. For genital skin tags or other warts where you may not be willing to visit a clinic for examination, you can take pictures and images and send them to an online doctor.

Symptoms of infected warts

Generally, warts form as flattened or raised skin growths. They are very soft to the touch and take the color of the skin. Upon close inspection and on pictures, they will resemble tiny cauliflowers. They mostly occur in clusters.

Below are the symptoms that will help you in identifying infected warts:

Painful warts – in normal cases, warts will not hurt but will itch. Constant scratching or other sources of irritation may injure them and cause pain
Reddened – reddening and inflammation are usual symptoms of infected skin growths
Blood and pus – the immune system automatically moves to kill any harmful bacteria present in the body. Dead cells and bacteria combine to form pus. If warts keep oozing blood and pus, it is a guarantee that they are infected. Pus with no traces of blood is a symptom of a serious infection.

As the infection spreads, other symptoms such as fever, aches and swollen lymph nodes will be experienced. In this case, the infection will have gotten into serious stages that really should be treated by a doctor.

Infected warts on the leg

Infected warts on the leg mostly appear on the plantar part of the foot. They are known as verruca and are often painful when walking or standing.

Due to pressure exerted on the heel and ball of the leg when walking, verruca tends to develop deeper into the skin rather than appear bumpy or flattened like normal warts. They are very common in children especially those who may frequently go barefoot in social areas.

How to treat infected warts on hands and other body parts

Infected warts on the hands are very likely to spread, either to other body parts or to other people. Some home remedies such as castor oil and tea tree oil can be used to treat bacterial infections on warts and also reduce the risk of spread.

You can also try a hot compress. This aids in getting the pus out of the infected areas. The problem is that pus from a wart is very contagious.

It is advised that you get clinical treatment for infected warts especially in children and people with conditions such as diabetes.

In hospitals, doctors administer both antiviral and antibacterial medications. They will also consider removal methods for the infected warts. Such include burning, cryotherapy and laser treatment. Acids and creams may not be advisable to use on infected warts. They can cause further irritations to the already infected and painful areas.

Which is the best infected mole removal?

Infected mole removal should certainly be done by a dermatologist. It is very unwise to try removing a mole that gets infected yourself.

Moles can be removed by laser treatment, freezing, burning or shave excision. Most people prefer the latter method as it is very quick.

It isn’t uncommon to come across many cases of people reporting moles getting infected after shave excision treatment method. Normally, you will be given antibiotics and other medications to take and wash the treated area with. It will heal within days. However, if the edges on the scar appear reddened and quite swollen, it is a sign of infection. In that case, you should get a follow-up appointment.

It is always helpful and appropriate to take images and compare them with infection pictures available online. You can also send some of the infection pictures that you have taken to your doctor who will advise you on the best next move.

Children’s infected mole removal at home

It is common for children to get infections on their moles. Depending on the cause, you can treat them at home or get medical help.

If, for example, a mole is infected after an injury or even an infestation such as caused by scabies in humans, you can use regular treatment options at home.

However, if a cause of physical injury cannot be identified, infected mole removal should not in any way be done at home. You may actually be trying to treat melanoma cancer, which is really dangerous.
Professionals advise that you in fact take pictures and images of moles in children to help you identify any sudden change in them. This is the first great step to preventing cancer of the skin that may develop from moles.

Infected skin tag removal and after care to avoid more infection

It is not common to see a skin tag developing an infection. However, in the likely scenario that physical injuries or cuts are sustained on the tags, infections can follow.

Doctors will in most cases choose excision as the best infected skin tag removal method. This is because the method is quick and will avoid cases of the infection spreading further. Red skin tags are mostly removed this way.

After removal, the area on which the tags were removed can still become infected if the right post-care services are not offered. This is common in tags occurring on the hands.

The best thing to do is go for a follow-up appointment. In this case, the cause of infection will be identified and treated accordingly. If you had the tag removed at home by cutting it off, ensure that the scar is covered with a bandage after an antiseptic or other medication has been applied. You can also use essential oils, such as ones use to get rid of hickeys. They aid in faster healing as well as prevent spread of bacteria.

Symptoms of infected skin tag after removal

Although it is not common, it still is a good idea to get detailed information on infected skin tag removal symptoms.

Pain and swelling are the most common give away symptoms. Naturally, any injured part of the body will be painful and swell a bit. However, if the swelling is to go on for more than 3 days, it definitely indicates an infection.

Other tell tale signs include pus or unidentifiable fluids oozing from the scar. You may also see some red lines or streaks, or happen to develop fever or a chill. If any of these happens, get medical attention.

If the infection is not serious, you can use an antibiotic on it. Neosporin is a good example. Any cause of friction should also be avoided before and after the spot has healed.
Since canker sores are known to be triggered by trauma including surgical operations to remove a skin tag, you might want to take a canker sore remedy at home. Crushed aspirin paste is a good example.

When to see a doctor for infected warts, mole or skin tag

It is always good to see a doctor especially when you cannot correctly identify the cause of a certain health condition such as bumps on the skin and like. In regards to a mole, skin tag or wart, see a doctor if any of the following is to happen:

You are not certain which form of skin growth it is
Home remedies have not been useful
Skin growths are gaining mass rapidly and experiencing constant evolution
The growths are very discomforting and painful; especially for plantar warts
Skin growths that appear in large clusters or under a short period of time
Other symptoms such as fever and pus are noticed