But it's always a good idea to wash your skin regularly and well. If you cut or scratch your skin, be sure to use soap and water because open wounds are more at risk for warts and other infections.
It's also a good idea to wear waterproof sandals or flip-flops in public showers, locker rooms, and around public pools this also can help protect against other infections, like athlete's foot.
If you do have a wart, don't rub, scratch, or pick at it or you may spread the virus to another part of your body or cause the wart to become infected. Although many warts disappear on their own with time, it's a good idea to show your wart to a doctor, who can recommend a treatment method if you need one.
If you discover a wart on your face or on your genital area, call your doctor. He or she can determine the best treatment for those areas, which are very sensitive. Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Are Warts? What Are the Kinds of Warts? Types of warts include: Common warts. What Causes Warts? How Long Before Symptoms Appear? How Long Do Warts Last?
Biting your nails also can cause warts to spread on your fingertips and around your nails. Each person's immune system responds to the HPV virus differently, so not everyone who comes in contact with HPV develops warts. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Common warts Open pop-up dialog box Close. Common warts Common warts can grow on your hands or fingers. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Are Warts?
Why Do Kids Get Warts? How Do Warts Look and Feel? Here are some types of warts: Common warts usually grow on fingers, hands, knees, and elbows. A common wart is dome-shaped and is usually grayish-brown. It has a rough surface with black dots.
Flat warts are small and about the size of a pinhead. They're smoother than other kinds of warts and have flat tops. A flat wart may be pink, light brown, or yellow. Most kids who get flat warts have them on their faces, but flat warts can also grow on arms, knees, or hands. There can be as many as flat warts all clustered together. Although most warts are painless, a wart on the bottom of the foot — called a plantar wart — can really hurt. It can feel like you have a stone in your shoe.
To prevent plantar warts, do not walk barefoot in public places — like a gym locker or at a public pool. Sessa says. For example, while some types of HPV preferentially affect the feet causing plantar warts , other strains are more likely to cause common warts. People with weakened immune systems are also more at risk of developing warts, including children and the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised through either medicine or illness. Even though most warts aren't harmful—aside from genital warts—there are a few reasons why you may want to get rid of them.
Depending on its location, the wart could raise cosmetic concerns like if it's on your face or another exposed part of your body , and because HPV is contagious, you can spread the infection to other people and to other parts of your own body if you have a live wart somewhere on your skin.
There are both at-home and in-office options for getting rid of common warts; let's break them down. Unlike many other dermatological concerns, you can often treat warts at home with OTC products.
Jenkins actually says that OTC treatments are the gold standard for getting rid of warts—as long as you know what to use and how to use it! Salicylic acid treatments come in a variety of types: liquids, ointments, sprays, bandages, and pads.
In general, though, you want to apply salicylic acid to the wart, cover it up with something believe it or not, many dermatologists actually recommend a duct tape bandage!
After that, says Dr. Jenkins, you should remove the covering, wash the area, and do it all over again. Most OTC products indicate this process may need to be repeated for up to three months. Just be mindful of how much you're using and how often—Dr. Jenkins says salicylic acid can degrade the skin, so you may want to start small and work your way up to higher concentrations only if needed.
If your wart is particularly stubborn or not responding to OTC treatment with salicylic acid, you may want to visit a dermatologist.
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