Often, warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), but they are most common on your hands, feet, face, and genitals. Warts can appear anywhere on your body, but they are usually harmless and painful, though they can be unsightly and contagious. We'll talk about warts' causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in this blog post.
It is believed that warts are caused by HPV types that infect the top layer of the skin through cuts or scratches. Despite the fact that there are over 150 types of HPV, only a few of them cause warts. The HPV can cause genital warts, which are a type of sexually transmitted infection.
People can contract warts by directly touching a wart or touching something that has been in contact with a wart, such as a towel, a razor, or a doorknob, and they are very contagious. Scratching, biting, or shaving can also cause warts to spread from one part of the body to another.
Warts vary in appearance depending on the type and location of the wart. Warts may look:
Dome-shaped, flat, or cauliflower-like.
Rough, smooth, or grainy.
Skin-colored, brown, gray, or black.
Sprinkled with black dots, which are small blood vessels.
The most common types of warts are:
Common warts, which usually occur on the fingers, hands, elbows, and knees. They are small, fleshy, and rough to the touch.
Plantar warts, which occur on the soles of the feet. They are hard, thick, and often painful. They may look like calluses with tiny black dots in the center.
Flat warts, which occur on the face, forehead, arms, and legs. They are small, smooth, and flat. They may be pink, beige, or brown.
Genital warts, which occur on the penis, vagina, anus, or cervix. They are soft, moist, and flesh-colored. They may be small or large, single or multiple, flat or raised. They may cause itching, burning, bleeding, or discharge.
Periungual and subungual warts, which occur under or around the fingernails and toenails. They are rough, irregular, and may affect the growth of the nail.
Usually, warts are diagnosed by their appearance and location. Sometimes a doctor may take a small sample (biopsy) and send it to a laboratory for testing to confirm the presence of HPV. A doctor may also conduct a physical examination and ask about the medical history and sexual activity of the person with warts.
The majority of warts go away on their own without any treatment, especially in children and young adults. However, some warts may persist, spread, or cause discomfort. Treatment may be recommended to remove or destroy the wart in these cases.
Warts can be treated in many ways, depending on their type, location, size, and number, as well as the health and preferences of the person with warts.
Salicylic acid is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication applied to the wart to remove the infected skin. This can take several weeks or months to work and may cause irritation or scarring.
The use of prescription medications such as imiquimod, podophyllin, or trichloroacetic acid to stimulate the immune system or destroy wart tissue can cause side effects, such as redness, swelling, burning, or blistering.
In cryotherapy, the wart is frozen with liquid nitrogen, which causes it to fall off within a few days or weeks. It may cause blistering or scarring.
In electrocautery, the wart is burned with an electric current, causing pain and scarring.
Using a laser beam to vaporize the wart is expensive and may result in pain, bleeding, or scarring.
A surgical excision involves cutting out the wart with a scalpel or knife, which may be painful and may result in bleeding, infection, or scarring.
The best way to prevent warts is to avoid contact with the virus that causes them. Some of the preventive measures are:
Avoid touching or picking at warts, either on yourself or on others.
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after touching a wart or something that has been in contact with a wart.
Do not share personal items, such as towels, razors, nail clippers, or shoes, with someone who has warts.
Cover your warts with a bandage or a plaster to prevent spreading the virus to others or to other parts of your body.
Wear footwear in public places, such as locker rooms, showers, or pools, to avoid getting plantar warts.
Practice safe sex and use condoms to reduce the risk of getting or transmitting genital warts.
Get vaccinated against HPV, which can protect against some of the types of HPV that cause warts. The HPV vaccine is recommended for boys and girls aged 11 to 12 years, but it can also be given to older teens and adults who have not been vaccinated before.
In most cases, warts appear on the hands, feet, face, and genitals, but they are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). A wart can usually be harmless and painful, but it can also be unsightly and contagious. There are several ways to treat warts, including medications, cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser therapy, and surgery. It is possible to prevent warts by avoiding contact with the virus, washing hands, not sharing personal items, covering warts, wearing footwear, practicing safe sex, and getting vaccinated against HPV.
