Is there a vaccine against warts? Yes and No.

Gardasil-9

When I see patients who are frustrated with stubborn warts, they often ask if there is a vaccine against warts.  Yes, and no, is my answer.  Let me explain. 

Warts are caused by a virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV).  There are over a hundred different strains again HPV.  Different strains cause different kinds of warts on different parts of the body.  See the table below for the full rundown. 

Because different types of warts are caused by different strains of the virus.  The current vaccines are targeted ONLY towards the strains of HPV that cause cancer.  The image below shows what types of cancer are commonly caused by HPV infection.

Currently, the vaccine available for HPV in the United States is Gardasil-9.  It is aptly named because it guards against 9 different types of HPV – 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. These are the strains of HPV that cause cancer.  It is an inactivated vaccine.  The glory of this vaccine is that it prevents over 90% of HPV-associated cancers.  So yes, there’s a vaccine against HPV.  But no, it does not work for the majority of warts we see on the skin as dermatologists.  Gardasil-9 is recommended for ages 9-26 and requires 2-3 doses.  HPV vaccines have been available since 2006 and provide long-term immunity.

To learn more about vaccines against HPV, I recommend legitimate sources only such as  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/.

Are you sad that a vaccine is not the answer to your skin wart dilemma?  Check out our other articles for an overview of warts and how to treat them at home with OTC treatments.

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