Wart Treatments

Warts

Warts are small, harmless growths that appear most frequently on the hands and feet. Sometimes they look flat and smooth, other times they have a dome-shaped or cauliflower-like appearance. Warts can be surrounded by skin that is either lighter or darker and are caused by different forms of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). They occur in people of all ages and can spread from person-to-person and from one part of the body to another. Warts are benign (noncancerous) and generally painless. They may disappear without any treatment. However, in most cases eliminating warts takes time.

Types of Warts

The location of a wart often characterizes its type:

Common warts

These can appear anywhere on the body, although they most often appear on the back of fingers, toes and knees. These skin-colored, dome-shaped lesions usually grow where the skin has been broken, such as a scratch or bug bite. In addition, they can range in size from a pinhead to 10mm and may appear singly or in multiples.

Filiform warts

Filiform warts look like a long, narrow, flesh-colored stalk that appears singly or in multiples around the eyelids, face, neck or lips. They are sometimes called facial warts and may cause itching or bleeding. However, they are easy to treat with over-the-counter medications.

Flat (plane) warts

These warts appear on the face and forehead. They are flesh-colored or white, with a slightly raised, flat surface and they usually appear in multiples. In majority, flat warts are more common among children and teens than adults.

Genital warts

These appear around the genital and pubic areas. However, it is possible to get genital warts inside the vagina and anal canal or in the mouth (known as oral warts). At start, lesions are small and soft but can become quite large overtime. They often grow in clusters and are both sexually transmitted and highly contagious. In fact, it is recommended you generally avoid sex with anyone who has a visible genital wart. Genital warts should always be treated by a physician.

Plantar warts

Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet and can be painful since they are on weight-bearing surfaces. They have a rough, cauliflower-like appearance and may have a small black speck in them. In addition, they often occur in multiples and may combine into a larger wart called a mosaic wart. Plantar warts can spread rapidly.

Subungual and periungual warts

These appear as rough growths around the fingernails and/or toenails. First, they start as nearly undetectable, pin-sized lesions. Then, they grow to pea-sized with rough, irregular bumps with uneven borders. Subungual and periungual warts can impede healthy nail growth. Because of their location, they are difficult to treat and generally require medical attention.