My son has a small bump on his calf that looks like a wart. Is this possible? How do I treat it?

Hello Mom,

Warts are quite easily noticeable by their characteristics: raised bump, the lines of the skin are not preserved, there is a black dot (small blood vessel) at the bottom of the lesion and they can sometimes be painful.

As it will be easier for the pharmacist to confirm the suspicion of a wart by having a photo or even in person, I strongly advise you to go to your regular pharmacy since our system does not yet support photo transmission. The treatments available at the pharmacy are quite effective and suitable for children over the age of 2.

In the meantime, just be sure to avoid transmission. This can happen between people but also to your son himself (he can touch the lesion and spread the virus to other parts of the body where new lesions may appear). Therefore, avoid touching the lesion with bare hands, do not lend or reuse towels, and clean the items that have been in contact with the lesion. The skin is kept dry and if necessary, a band-aid can be applied to avoid injury during activities.

Most warts go away on their own, with treatment serving to decrease the risk of transmission and speed healing when they are painful/uncomfortable.

Sorry I can't be of more help, feel free to write me again if you have any more questions. Have a great day!

Andrée-Ann Parent, pharmacy student under the supervision of Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist