Associated with witches and toads, warts aren't exactly something anyone aspires to have. While warts are harmless and might go away on their own after several months, we can't blame you for wanting to learn how to get rid of warts ASAP. After all, they can be contagious to you and others.

The good news about removing warts is that you can usually get rid of warts at home, using over-the-counter products. The bad news: It could take several weeks. The best way to remove warts? Depends on where they are, says Doris Day, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center and the author of "Forget the Facelift." "If the wart is on your hands or feet you can start with an at-home treatment regimen," she says, "but if it's on your face you should get it removed in your doctor's office to reduce the risk of scarring."

Though it's okay to start an at-home regimen to remove warts without seeing a doctor, if you have any questions about whether or not your skin growth is a wart, make an appointment to be sure. And it should go without saying that you should definitely see a doctor you can't get rid of a wart after home treatment or it spreads, becomes painful or changes color or appearance. Keep reading to find out how to get rid of warts for good.

Short answer: HPV. You may have heard these three letters uttered in hushed tones or in the context of a convo with your gyno, but the truth is the human papillomavirus (HPV) is everywhere, and it's the pesky cause of warts. Warts are formed when the HPV virus causes the keratin in the top layer of your skin to grow too fast. Some types of the virus cause warts in the hands, others in the feet or other areas. Unlike moles, which are dark in color, warts are the same color as your skin.

"Everything you touch has a wart virus on it," says Day. "There are more than 90 different types. But it's not so much your exposure to the virus that causes you to get warts, it's your immunity to the virus which determines whether or not you will get a wart." Each person's immune system responds to the HPV virus differently, so not everyone who comes in contact with HPV develops warts.

Children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to warts, according to Day, although everyone is at risk. Plus, the virus travels faster through wet skin (consider this your heads up, avid swimmers and hot yoga practitioners).

It sounds like a folk remedy that nobody would want to try: Remove warts with...duct tape? But, "studies show that covering your wart in duct tape really works," assures Day. "It's been scientifically proven."

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends cutting a piece of tape the size of your wart, covering it and changing it every few days to peel away layers of the wart. In between taping, soak the skin, and use an emery board to file away the dead skin. Dry the area and reapply the tape. Like any wart-removal system, it can take weeks -- or even months -- to see results.

Your acne-fighting standby can help you win the war on warts, too. Whether you choose a gel, liquid, pad or ointment to remove your wart, all salicylic acid-based products pretty much work the same way. You soak the wart in water, apply the product, and then, after the designated time, file off the dead wart tissue. Repeat until the wart's gone -- which could be several weeks.

Just be sure to use a product that contains at least 17 percent salicylic acid, such as Compound W Wart Remover Gel, $11. Read instructions carefully and follow them exactly. For example, many of these products are for hands and feet only and are not recommended for the face.

No you cannot use liquid nitrogen to get rid of your warts at home. But you can use an over-the-counter equivalent, which isn't quite as strong, but may still do the trick. It contains a freezing compound made of dimethyl ether and propane to deaden and remove warts. Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away Wart Remover Kit, $15.99, contains seven disposable treatment applicators and claims it will get rid of the wart in 10 days. As with all wart removal products, read instructions carefully before using it. This is a serious chemical, which is not only highly flammable but can cause scarring if not used correctly.