Warts are non-cancerous skin growths due to infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) causing rapid cell growth on the outer layer of your skin. They’re usually skin coloured and feel rough, but can also be dark, flat and smooth. The 4 major types are: - Common warts: found on fingers, around nails and the back of hands.
- Plantar / foot warts: grow on the soles of feet and tend to get pushed back into the skin due to the pressure from walking and standing.
- Flat warts: found on the beard area of men, and on women’s legs. They’re small, smooth and grow 20 to 100 at a time.
- Genital warts: are soft, fleshy and occur around the sex organs. Raised, pointed or flat, painless and often invisible to the naked eye.
Spreading warts
Either directly with someone who has the virus or indirectly when a surface has been contaminated by an infected person, such as on a pool deck or shower floor. Someone with no visible warts can also carry the virus and spread the infection. Each person’s immune system responds to warts differently. Not everyone who comes in contact with HPV develops warts. Genital warts are quite contagious, but catching a common wart from another person is small. You can also spread the virus to other places on your own body through breaks in your skin, a hangnail or scrape. Nail biting spreads warts to fingertips and around nails.
| Treatment
Warts don’t require treatment, but you may want to treat them for cosmetic purposes and to prevent their spread. Home treatment is often effective. Salicylic acid, an over-the-counter medication may be used. Consult your pharmacist for appropriate treatment options best suited for your particular needs. If home treatment isn’t helping stubborn warts, your doctor may suggest one of the following: - Freezing (cryotherapy or liquid nitrogen therapy): this painless and effective action destroys the wart by freezing it
- Minor surgery: cutting away the wart tissue or destroying it using an electric needle in a process called electrodessication and curettage. The anesthetic injection prior to the process can be painful, and the surgery may leave a scar
- Laser surgery: can be expensive, and may leave a scar. Also reserved for tough-to-treat warts.
Wart prevention - Maintain good health. Avoid stressors that weaken your immune system, including fatigue, poor nutrition or harmful substances
- Avoid walking barefoot in public places. Use shower shoes and a bathmat
- Keep feet dry. Plantar warts thrive on moisture. Wear open shoes, change socks often, and try medicated foot powder
- Use condoms, dental dams and gloves
- Picking at warts spreads the virus.
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