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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely start by seeing your family doctor or primary care doctor. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a specialist in skin diseases (dermatologist).
Because appointments can be brief and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it can help to be well prepared. Here are some tips to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, and for how long you've experienced them.
- Make a list of all recent exposures to possible sources of infection. These may include trips to a local swimming pool or using a communal shower or locker room.
- Make a list of your key medical information, including other conditions you're being treated for and the names of any medications, vitamins or supplements that you're taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor. Don't be afraid to ask questions or to speak up when you don't understand something your doctor says.
For plantar warts, questions you may want to ask include:
- Are there any other possible causes for my symptoms?
- What are my treatment options and the pros and cons for each?
- If the first treatment doesn't work, what will we try next?
- How soon after I begin treatment can I expect improvement?
- Am I contagious? How can I reduce the risk of passing this infection to others?
- Can I wait to see if the condition goes away on its own?
- What skin-care routines do you recommend while the condition heals?
- What kind of follow-up, if any, should I expect?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you first notice the warts?
- Are the warts painful?
- What at-home treatments have you used and how long have you used them?
- Have you noticed any changes in the appearance of the wart?
- Habif TP. Warts, herpes simplex and other viral infections. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/121280969-6/806516417/1195/75.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50014-5--cesec21_1286. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Lichon V, et al. Plantar warts: A focus on treatment modalities. Dermatology Nursing. 2007;19:372.
- Gibbs S, et al. Topical treatments for cutaneous warts. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006:CD001781.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Cutaneous warts. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Aldara. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2004/mar_PI/Aldara_PI.pdf. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
- Focht DR 3rd, et al. The efficacy of duct tape vs. cryotherapy in the treatment of verruca vulgaris (the common wart). Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2002;156:971.
- Your guide to diabetes: Type 1 and type 2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/YourGuide2Diabetes.pdf. Accessed Feb. 23, 2009.
