What are warts?

Warts are small skin lesions that appear on some parts of the body, usually on the face, nape, armpits, hands, genitals, anus and feet. They are caused mainly by human papillomavirus and have different shapes and sizes. They are usually painless but quite annoying. Its appearance has an accumulated globular shape. Its extraction is quite difficult and painful since they have an independent blood supply and it is very common to remove them after removing them.

Types of Warts

There are eight types of warts, the most frequent and assisted by doctors are the "common warts" and "warts standing."

  1. Common wart: They are the best known. They are painless and benign. Its appearance is equal to that of cauliflower, a bulge of acuminate granules of an indistinct color to the skin and with a sensation of roughness when touched. They can be long or round since they do not have a definite shape. They can be recognized by the place where they are, mainly on the fingers, under the nails and, occasionally, on the knuckles of the hands, knees, and face.
  2. Wart of the foot: Also known as "papilloma", we can find them in the lower part of the foot. They are of soft consistency and can be detected because their color is different from the skin tone. Its appearance varies, being able to be spongy, or scaly. Aesthetically they are unpleasant and, without treatment, very painful. They can be found on the heels or fingertips.
  3. Water wart: They usually have a flattened appearance when presented on the skin. This wart attacks children and has a translucent or white color. It appears on the face or body, usually on the back or abdomen.
  4. Flat wart: They usually appear as small layers on the skin (a few millimeters that are difficult to detect), mainly on the face in men, and women in the legs. It also occurs in children. They appear because of a bad shave or because of irritated skin.
  5. Smooth wart: They are flat and difficult to see with the naked eye. They can be recognized by presenting very different colors to the skin tone.
  6. Filiform wart: Its growth is long, like a spur. They are usually confused with moles. If you detect the presence of any, immediately visit a specialist. They usually appear on the lips and next to the eyelids.
  7. Genital warts: These skin lesions are seen in the anus and genitals, both in the upper and lower lips in women and in the penis and testicles in men. Usually, manifest in adults and has the shape of cauliflower, grouping several. They are the visible face of a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease. In addition, they are a cause of cervical cancer.
  8. Mosaic wart: They are called like this when there are several warts grouped in a specific point, generally in the form of a cluster. To remove them, cryogenic treatments are mainly used.

Causes of Warts

The main cause of the appearance of warts is the Human Papilloma Virus, of which there are more than sixty known strains. The virus is easily spread through wounds or cracks in the skin, especially if the immune system is affected. It also spreads sexually, so it is considered a Sexually Transmitted Disease. Genital warts, symptoms of the Human Papilloma Virus, indicate a higher likelihood of developing cervical cancer.


The most common symptoms of these lesions are on the skin. Start with a round or oval growth, which can be rough or smooth. The color is very different from the skin tone, always tend to be lighter tones and usually show one or more than one.

If a new wart is detected, you should go to the dermatologist for a scan and, probably, a biopsy to rule out skin cancer.

How to Prevent Warts

To prevent contagion, just follow a series of simple general tips:

  1. Avoid touching warts on other people, this is the main vehicle of contagion.
  2. Keep the wart covered with a bandage, this will avoid infecting other people and the wart will spread to other areas of your body.
  3. As in other contagious diseases, you should avoid sharing towels or clothing with infected people. A simple gesture such as sharing or exchanging a garment, together with a simple injury to the skin, is enough for contagion.
  4. If you suffer from warts, you should avoid touching and scratching yourself, as you can spread it to another area of your body or infect other people.
  5. Wear light footwear to go to a collective pool or shower. Regardless of the type of footwear that is preferred, pool shoes, normal flip flops or other, should be used in exclusive.

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