Causes

Warts are a harmless overgrowth of skin tissue caused by a virus. Warts shed virus particles that can be “planted” in other areas of the body through scratching, friction, or unknown factors. Some types of warts can also be spread by person-to-person contact. Genital warts, for example, are usually spread through sexual contact.

From the time you are exposed to a wart, it usually takes weeks or months for a wart to become visible. Children and young adults get warts most frequently. People who take immune-suppressing medication or who have a chronic condition that suppresses their immune system tend to get warts.

Types of Warts

The six types of warts include:

• Common warts. These warts have a rough, raised surface and can appear anywhere on the body. They are most commonly found on the tops of hands.
• Flat warts. These very small, smooth, flat warts appear in clusters, most commonly on the hands, legs, and especially the face. Unlike common warts, they may go unnoticed.
• Plantar warts. These flat, calluslike warts appear on the bottom surface of the foot. They can be painful when pressure is applied to them, such as when you are stepping on the affected foot.
• Filiform warts. These tiny, long, and narrow warts occur around the eyelids, face, and neck.
• Periungual warts. Appearing under and around the fingernails, these warts occur in people who bite their nails and pick their cuticles. They are difficult to get rid of.
• Genital warts. These small warts appear on or around the genitalia or anus.

Self-Care

Most warts disappear on their own, although it may take some time. If you have a wart that is unsightly but not serious, you may want to use an over-the-counter wart medication, available in a liquid or pad. Carefully apply the medication to the top and sides of the wart. Do not apply it to the skin around the wart.

If you have a wart that does not respond to over-the-counter medication, see your doctor. He or she may prescribe medication or remove the wart. A wart can be removed by freezing it with liquid nitrogen, by applying a local anesthesia and scraping it off, or by using an electric needle or laser.

Do not put medications on sensitive areas such as your face or on or near your genitals or anus.