Types of Warts

Many different types of warts can plaque the skin and body, often causing embarrassing and unsightly growths. Equally common on teenagers and adults, warts are actually benign skin tumors representing several different types of thickened mucous membranes.

Warts are caused by the common human papillomavirus (HPV,) which represents over fifty different strains. Skin warts can affect anyone, at any age, and have a lingering incubation period of weeks to months after skin to skin contact with an infected HPV carrier.

Common Types of Warts

There are several different types of warts. Familiarizing oneself with the varieties and their individual characteristics may help with treatment options and over the counter or surgical wart removal.

Common Warts: Verruca Vulgaris

By far the most popular wart, verruca vulgaris warts are most common on the hands, knees and elbows. This well known common wart has a rough surface, oftentimes with tiny spots of clotted blood.

Flat Warts

Flat warts are very common on the face and are spread easily and rapidly by shaving. Flat warts represent their name, as they are flat topped and smooth, and are most often brown or skin tone colored.

Plantar Warts

Many times confused with corns or callouses, plantar warts are thickened and most often found on the bottom of the feet. Unlike most warts, plantar warts tend to grow into, rather than away from, the skin. Plantar warts may be uncomfortable and cause noticeable pain when walking or standing for extended periods of time. Those seeking plantar wart treatment may find the care of a physician to be the most suitable approach.

Genital Warts

With a small chance of becoming cancerous, genital warts are also caused by the HPV virus and are spread through skin to skin contact. In the case of genital warts, they are indicative of sexual activity with an infected partner. Genital warts vary in appearance. Some genital warts may resemble the common wart, while others may appear as small pink pustules on the skin.

A small number of genital warts caused by the HPV 16 and HPV 18 strain of virus have been linked to cancer. This subgroup of genital warts have been named bowenoid papulosis.

Those who are plagued with genital warts must seek medical attention for proper and safe treatment. At home or over the counter options are unsafe for this type of wart.

Removing Warts

Although most skin warts are benign and painless, most are unsightly and people plagued with them seek options for removal.

Although entirely optional, there are several procedures for wart removal that are very similar in effect to mole removal treatments.

Over the Counter Treatments

There are many over the counter treatments available in the form of lotions and ointments that remove the wart and surrounding skin. The chemicals in these treatments are very harsh and must be used with extreme care. Once the affected area has been treated properly, the wart and the skin will quickly fall off, exposing wart free skin tissue.

Medical Treatment

A family physician specializing in general practice or dermatology can successfully treat warts. A physician may choose to remove the wart one of three ways:

• Chemical removal: Similar to over the counter products, but prescription strength, chemical wart removal treatments are effective but may add discomfort or burning symptoms for several days after application.
• Cryosurgery: Cryosurgery is a process in which skin is frozen with liquid nitrogen, and then the frozen wart is easily removed.
• Electrocautery: Lastly, a physician may opt for electrocute to remove warts. In this procedure, an electric needle is used to burn off the wart. Laser surgery is a treatment very similar to electrocautery and may also be used to remove the affected skin and wart.

Regardless of the procedure, there are many safe, effective and relatively inexpensive ways to remove wart ridden skin tissue. If you find your wart troublesome or of physical embarrassment, consider seeking the counsel of a physician for a quick and relatively painless treatment option.