What are warts?
Warts are skin growths that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 60 kinds of HPV, some of which tend to cause warts on the skin. HPV stimulates quick growth of cells on the skin’s outer layer. In most cases, common warts appear on the fingers, near the fingernails, or on the hands.
Sometimes, warts appear on other parts of the body. Some types of HPV cause the following different kinds of warts:
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Plantar warts—This type of wart usually appears as flesh-colored or light brown lumps that are flecked with small clotted blood vessels that appear as tiny black dots. Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet.
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Genital warts—This condition is one of the most common kinds of sexually transmitted diseases. Genital warts can appear in the pubic area, on the genitals, in the anus, and/or in the vagina.
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Flat warts—This type of wart is more common in teens and children than in adults. Flat warts are smoother and smaller than other warts, and they generally occur on the face. Flat warts also can appear on the legs, especially among females.
What causes warts?
Warts are caused by direct contact with human papillomavirus (HPV), which is contagious. HPV might spread by person-to-person contact or through direct contact with an object used by a person with the virus. The virus that causes warts also can spread to other places on the body of the person with warts.
What are the symptoms of warts?
Warts appear as small, grainy bumps that are rough to the touch. Most warts are flesh-colored, tan, pink, or white. Warts sometimes contain small black dots that are tiny, clotted blood vessels.
How are warts treated?
In most cases, warts are harmless and can disappear without treatment. However, people can seek treatment for warts when the condition is bothersome or embarrassing. In some cases, warts might recur after treatment. More than one type of treatment might be necessary. Although practitioners attempt to clear warts quickly, most methods require multiple treatments. Treatments include:
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Freezing (cryotherapy)— During this treatment, a doctor will use liquid nitrogen to freeze a wart. A blister forms around the wart, and the dead tissue falls off within about a week.
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Cantharidin—This substance, which is mixed with other chemicals and applied to the skin, forms a blister around the wart. After cantharidin is applied, the area is covered with a bandage. The blister lifts the wart off the skin so the doctor can remove the dead portion of the wart.
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Other medicines—These include Bleomycin, which is injected into a wart to kill a virus. Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immunotherapy medicine that comes in the form of a prescription cream. Although Aldara is stated for genital warts, it is effective on all types of warts. Bleomycin, when injected, produces flu-like symptoms. For this reason, patients might be pre-medicated with Tylenol.
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Experimental treatments—These include DNCB (dinitrochlorobenzene), which has been successfully used to treat warts. It requires follow-up applications that might be done either in the office by the doctor or a nurse, or at home by the patient. DNCB is not approved by the FDA, and is considered experimental.
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Minor surgery—During this procedure, a doctor will cut away the wart, and destroy the base by using an electric needle. The doctor might opt to deep freeze the base (cryosurgery). Surgery is used when warts cannot be removed by other therapies.
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Laser surgery—This procedure is used for warts that are difficult to treat.
Can warts be prevented?
If you already have warts, you can prevent them from spreading by not picking at them. Consider covering warts with bandages. In addition, keep your hands as dry as possible—warts are harder to control in moist environments. You should never brush, comb, or shave areas where warts are present, as the virus can be spread via these actions. You should wash your hands thoroughly after you touch any warts.
To prevent genital warts, some of the steps you can take include:
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Not having sex
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Using condoms during sexual activity
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Having sex only with a partner who is not having sex with other people
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Avoiding sex with anyone who has visible symptoms of genital warts
© Copyright 1995-2006 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All rights reserved
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 3/7/2005
