Warts

What are warts?

Warts are non-cancerous skin growths caused by the papillomavirus. Warts are more common in children than adults, although they can develop at any age. Warts can spread to other parts of the body and to other persons. There are many different types of warts, due to many different papillomavirus types (more than 100). Warts are not painful, except when located on the feet. Most warts go away, without treatment, over an extended period of time.

Common types of warts:

The following are the more common types of warts:

common warts	growths around nails and the back of hands; usually have a rough surface; grayish-yellow or brown in color
foot warts	located on the soles of feet (plantar warts) with black dots (clotted blood vessels that once fed them); clusters of plantar warts are called mosaic; can be painful
flat warts	small, smooth growths that grow in groups up to 100 at a time; most often appear on children's faces
genital warts	grow on the genitals and are occasionally sexually transmitted; are soft and do not have a rough surface like other common warts
filiform warts	small, long, narrow growths that usually appear on eyelids, face, or neck

Treatment for warts:

Specific treatment for warts will be determined by your physician based on:

• your age, overall health, and medical history
• extent of the growths
• your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• expectations for the course of the growths
• your opinion or preference

Warts often disappear without treatment. Treatment of warts depends on several factors, including the following:

• length of time on the skin
• location
• type
• severity

Treatment may include:

• application of salicylic and lactic acid (to soften the infected area)
• freezing with liquid nitrogen
• electrodesiccation (to destroy the wart with an electrical current)
• immunotherapy
• laser surgery