Warts: Common Types, What Not to Do and When to Be Seen

What it involves

MedlinePlus describes warts as small growths on the skin that are usually painless and usually harmless. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), of which there are more than 150 types, and they can spread from one part of the body to another or from person to person.

Who this is for

• Patients with a rough growth on a hand, foot, or face that has not gone away on its own
• Patients with a painful wart on the sole of the foot that makes walking uncomfortable
• Patients with diabetes or a weakened immune system who have noticed a new skin growth
• Patients unsure whether a growth is a wart or something that should be checked

What to expect

• Questions about how long the growth has been there and whether it has changed or bled
• A close look at the skin, since MedlinePlus says warts are usually diagnosed by looking
• A conversation about whether the growth needs treatment or can be left alone
• A plan that may include a referral to a skin specialist for removal or for a growth that looks unusual

Types you may run into

MedlinePlus lists several kinds, and where a wart sits helps tell them apart:

• Common warts, usually on the hands, raised with a rough surface
• Flat warts, mostly on the face and forehead, more often in children
• Plantar warts on the soles of the feet, which can be quite painful
• Warts under or around the fingernails and toenails
• Genital warts, which are treated differently from other warts

What a wart looks like

Most are raised, round or oval, and rough, though some are smooth and flat. MedlinePlus says the spot may be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin and, rarely, black. Many are painless, but some hurt, particularly on the feet. If skin lesions have a different texture or keep itching, the skin conditions page describes how the practice handles skin concerns.

What not to do

MedlinePlus is direct about this: do not try to remove a wart yourself by burning, cutting, tearing, or picking it. It also says over-the-counter wart medicine should not be used on the face or genitals, where a provider should treat them. For wart medicine used elsewhere, it describes filing the dead tissue after a shower, applying the medicine daily for weeks or months, and covering with a bandage.

What a provider can do

MedlinePlus says a provider may trim thick skin over a wart and, when warts do not go away, may use stronger prescription medicine, a blistering solution, freezing, burning, laser, or an injected treatment. Several of those are done by a dermatologist, so this practice would refer for them. Minor in-office care for other skin problems is listed on the wound care page.

How long warts last

MedlinePlus says most warts disappear on their own within about two years, but warts around the nails and on the soles of the feet are harder to clear than those elsewhere, and any wart can return even after it seems to be gone. Minor scars can form after removal.

Reasons to book a visit

MedlinePlus advises contacting a provider if there are signs of infection such as pus, red streaking, or fever, if a wart bleeds heavily or will not stop with light pressure, if it hurts, or if its color or look changes. It also lists anal or genital warts, and warts in anyone with diabetes or a weakened immune system. Infection signs are described in the cellulitis guide.

Lowering the chance of spreading them

MedlinePlus suggests avoiding direct contact with a wart on yourself or someone else, washing your hands after touching one, wearing socks or shoes to guard against plantar warts, and washing the nail file you use on a wart. It also says to ask a provider about vaccines that prevent some types of HPV.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Warts
• MedlinePlus — Warts health topic