More common in kids than in adults, warts are skin infections caused by viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. They can affect any area of the body, but are usually found on the fingers, hands, and feet. Warts are usually painless with the exception of the warts on the soles of the feet.

Types of warts

Common warts - growths around nails and the back of hands; usually have a rough surface; grayish-yellow or brown in color.

Genital warts - grow on the genitals and are occasionally sexually transmitted; are soft and do not have a rough surface like other common warts.

Flat warts - These are about the size of a pinhead, are smoother than other kinds of warts, and have flat tops. Flat warts may be pink, light brown, or yellow. Most kids who get flat warts have them on their faces, but they can also grow on arms, knees, or hands and can appear in clusters.

Plantar warts - Found on the bottom of the foot, plantar warts can be veryuncomfortable - like walking on a small stone.

Filiform warts - small, long, narrow growths that usually appear on eyelids, face, or neck.

Causes of Warts

Warts are a type of infection caused by viruses in the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. Warts can grow on all parts of your body. They can grow on your skin, on the inside of your mouth, on your genitals and on your rectal area. Some types of HPV tend to cause warts on the skin, while other HPV types tend to cause warts on the genitals and rectal area. Some people are more naturally resistant to the HPV viruses and don't seem to get warts as easily as other people. If they are allowed to disappear in this way it is less likely that a person will get any further ones as one will then be immune to that virus.

Signs and Symptoms of Warts

The symptoms of warts are as follows:

Small, fleshy, grainy bumps
Flesh-colored, white, pink or tan
Abnormally dark or light skin surrounding the lesion
Rough to the touch

Warts may occur singly or in multiples. They often contain one or more tiny black dots, which are sometimes called wart seeds but are actually small, clotted blood vessels. Common warts are usually painless. Young adults and children appear to be affected most often.

Treatment of Warts

Most warts can be treated with simple over-the-counter remedies. For those that are resistant to these measures, other types of treatments are effective.

Salicylic acid is a very common and effective over-the-counter treatment, but requires consistent application every day. They best way to use salicylic acid is to first pare the wart with a blade, pumice stone, emory board, or small scrub brush. Soaking the wart in warm water will aid in the absorption of the medicine. Salicylic acid is applied to the wart and allowed to dry. Normal surrounding skin may be protected with petroleum jelly. Occluding the treated wart with a band-aid or piece of tape also improves the absorption of the medicine. This procedure should be repeated daily ideally around shower or bath time. Salicylic acid can be found in several forms including a thick oil, or incorporated into an adhesive plaster form.

Cryotherapy is another effective treatment of warts. A provider applies liquid nitrogen as a spray or on a cotton swab to the wart. This freezes and kills the effected cells. The connective tissue is not destroyed; therefore, the lesion usually heals without significant scarring. The human papillomavirus is not killed by cryotherapy and is released into the surrounding tissue allowing the immune system to kill it. A blister typically forms on the site treated, crusts over, and falls off. Since blisters are painful to walk on, cryotherapy is not a first choice for warts on the bottom of the foot.

Other medicines may be applied to warts or injected into them include lactic acid, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), formalin, glutaraldehyde, cantharidin, podophyllin, Retin-A, and bleomycin. These treatments should be supervised by a health care provider.

Prevention tips

Don't brush, clip, comb or shave areas with warts in order to avoid spreading the virus.
Don't use the same file or nail clipper on warts as you use on healthy nails.
Don't bite your fingernails if you have warts near your fingernails.
Don't pick at warts. Picking may spread the virus. Consider covering your child's warts with an adhesive bandage to discourage picking.
Keep your hands as dry as possible, because warts are more difficult to control in a moist environment.
Wash your hands carefully after touching your warts.

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