Warts

Warts are usually painless, noncancerous lumps on the outermost layer of the skin. They can develop on any part of the body. They are slightly contagious. Most people have a natural immunity to warts and don't get them. Some people, however, are susceptible.

As a rule, people with warts gradually develop an immunity to them, at which time the warts will disappear.

Causes

Warts are a harmless overgrowth of skin tissue caused by a virus, the human papilloma virus (HPV), of which there are many "types."  For instance, common warts like those seen on the hands are often caused by HPV types 2 and 4.  Warts on the bottom of the feet (plantar warts) are frequently caused by HPV type 1. Flat warts are most commonly cause by HPV types 3 and 10. Warts shed virus particles that can be "planted" in other areas of the body through scratching, friction or unknown factors.

Some types of warts can also be spread by person-to-person contact. Genital warts (condyloma accuminata), for example, are usually spread through sexual contact. Genital warts are cause by many types of HPV, including types 6 and 11. HPV types 16 and 18 are thought to be the types responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancers. In 2006, the FDA approved a vaccine to prevent the virus.All females age 9 to 26 and women with Pap smear abnormalities should be vaccinated.

From the time you are exposed to a wart, it usually takes weeks or months for a wart to become visible. Children and young adults get warts most frequently. People who take immune-suppressing medication or who have a chronic condition that suppresses their immune system tend to get warts.

Types of Warts

The six types of warts include:

• Common warts. These warts have a rough, raised surface and can appear anywhere on the body. They are most commonly found on the tops of hands.

• Flat warts. These very small, smooth, flat warts appear in clusters, most commonly on the hands, legs and especially the face. Unlike common warts, they may go unnoticed.

• Plantar warts. These flat, callus like warts appear on the bottom surface of the foot. They can be painful when pressure is applied to them, such as when you are stepping on the affected foot.

• Filiform warts. These tiny, long, and narrow warts occur around the eyelids, face and neck.

• Periungual warts. Appearing under and around the fingernails, these warts occur in people who bite their nails and pick their cuticles. They are difficult to get rid of.

• Genital warts. These small warts appear on or around the genitalia or anus.

Self-Care

Most warts disappear on their own, although it may take some time. If you have a wart that is unsightly but not serious, you may want to use an over-the-counter wart medication, available in a liquid or pad.

Carefully apply the medication to the top and sides of the wart. Do not apply it to the skin around the wart.  If you have a wart that does not respond to over-the-counter medication, see your doctor. He or she may prescribe medication or remove the wart. A wart can be removed by freezing it with liquid nitrogen, by applying a local anesthesia and scraping it off, or by using an electric needle or laser.

Do not put medications on sensitive areas such as your face or on or near your genitals or anus.