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Warts

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Warts are a common skin disease usually caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Warts are usually small, rough growths on different parts of the body that do not usually cause pain or discomfort, but they are contagious and may spread to other parts of the body, spreading to family members and friends.

Symptoms

Different types of warts include:

Common warts: Usually on the hands, but can grow on any part of the body.
Flat warts: Usually found on the face and forehead, they are more common in children, less common in adolescents, and rare in adults.
Genital warts: They appear on the genitals and around the anus and are sexually transmitted.
Plantar warts: grow on the soles of the feet and can be quite painful for the sufferer. Multiple plantar warts may cause problems with walking or running.

The main symptom of warts:

Form	Small, rough bumps that form on the surface of the skin, sometimes mistakenly called grease grains, pimples, or moles.
Location	Usually found on fingers, palms of hands, soles of feet, heels, elbows, knees, and face where pressure or friction is common.
Size	Warts vary in size, usually about 1 to 2 millimeters in size.
Number	The number of warts can increase over time and infect nearby normal skin, with hundreds of warts appearing on the patient's face.
Color	Flesh-coloured yellow, grey or brown, sometimes with black dots due to blockage of microvessels.

Causes and risk factors

Warts are abnormal keratosis caused by human papillomavirus infection. They are skin growths with no fixed shape. Warts are infectious and can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an infected person, such as sharing towels, clothes, beds, etc. They can also be spread by touching objects such as handrails, door handles and lift buttons in daily life.

The immune system is also a factor in the development of warts. If the immune system is weakened, it is easier for the human papillomavirus to infect the body. In addition, HPV thrives in warm, moist areas such as swimming pools, public showers and changing rooms. When the skin becomes moist, it is easier to get infected with HPV.

People at risk

Some groups of people are more susceptible to HPV and therefore more likely to get warts. People at risk include:

Children and adolescents
People with cuts or wounds on the skin
People with chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.
People with compromised immune systems
Excessive fatigue, stress, malnutrition
Pregnant women

Diagnosis

A doctor can confirm the diagnosis of warts by looking at the patient's skin. If the colour, size, shape or location of the warts are abnormal, the doctor may need to conduct further tests to confirm the diagnosis and to differentiate warts from other skin abnormalities.

Treatment

Treatments for warts include surgical excision, cryotherapy, laser therapy, and topical medications. Dermatologists have many options for treating warts. The choice of treatment depends on the type of wart, the patient's age and health condition.

Surgical Wart Removal
Medication
Cold wart removal: Warts are frozen to death with liquid nitrogen at a low temperature.
Electrocautery: The process is more painful and the wound is bigger after surgery, which may affect the appearance and may not be able to solve the problem at one time.
Laser Wart Removal: The warts will be burnt to death by the heat of laser.

Impact

Warts do not adversely affect physical health, but they can cause psychological and social distress. For example, warts on the face and neck can affect a person's appearance and self-esteem, and there is a fear of spreading the disease to those around them. Infection with certain types of HPV can increase the risk of cancer, most commonly cervical cancer in women, which is the most common form of genital warts. Please consult a healthcare professional for more information about vaccination.

Prevention

To prevent warts, individuals can take the following steps:

Avoid touching other people's warts	Human papillomavirus is contagious and can enter your body through skin wounds and cause warts.
Make sure each family member has his or her own personal belongings.	If you have warts in your home, making sure that each family member has his or her own personal care items such as towels, washcloths, razors, nail clippers, etc. will help prevent the spread of warts among family members.
Properly clean and cover scrapes and other wounds	HPV is everywhere, and if you come into contact with HPV-contaminated items, it is easier for the virus to enter your body through wounds and cause warts to develop.
Wash your hands frequently	HPV is very common and washing your hands helps to remove the virus from your skin.
Stop biting your nails and chewing your cuticles.	Biting your nails or cuticles can cause tiny, invisible sores and cracks in your skin, and these openings make it easier for HPV to enter your body.
Wear slippers in changing rooms, pool areas and public showers.	HPV thrives in warm, humid places. When your skin is wet and soft from water, you are more susceptible to HPV infection. Shoes or slippers can help protect your feet from the virus and prevent plantar warts.
Human papillomavirus vaccination	This vaccine helps prevent genital warts and different cancers that can occur in the genital area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, warts go away on their own over time, but there is a chance that the virus can spread to other parts of the skin, or to family members living with the patient. Some types of warts are more difficult to treat, depending on the method and technique of removal, and some wart removal treatments may leave scars.

Wart removal medications are available on the market and should be used with caution, depending on the symptoms of the disease, and patients are advised to consult their pharmacists. For people with facial or genital warts, weakened immune system, or bleeding warts, it is advisable to consult a doctor instead of self-treatment.

Warts are caused by a viral infection, so there is a chance that they may come back. It is advisable to cover the affected area when removing warts, wash your hands after touching the affected area and avoid damaging the affected skin to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of the skin.