What are warts?
Are common and plantar warts contagious?
Are common and plantar warts dangerous?
Who gets warts?
What do common and plantar warts look like?
What happens if warts are ignored?
How are common and plantar warts treated?
What are warts?
Warts are generally benign (harmless) growths on the surface of the skin. Usually small and firm, these benign warts are caused by a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes skin cells to multiply rapidly. Genital warts are caused by a variant of the HPV virus and are highly contagious. This page discusses only two kinds of benign warts, common warts and plantar warts. If you suspect that you have genital warts, you should see a physician. The common wart (verruca vulgaris) is usually found on the fingers, hands, knees, face and scalp. The plantar wart (verruca plantaris) usually is found on the soles of the feet. Although they look different, both respond to the same types of treatment.
Are common and plantar warts contagious?
Yes, warts are contagious. They can be spread from one person to another, but are more likely to spread from one part of the body to another. Human beings cannot get warts from animals. In other words, you cannot catch warts from touching frogs, toads, or any other animal. However, walking barefoot in damp places, such as locker rooms, showers, and around swimming pools increases the risk of getting plantar warts. Common warts can be spread by sharing washcloths, towels, brushes, combs, and other personal items.
Are common and plantar warts dangerous?
No. Common and plantar warts are not dangerous to your general health. However, since plantar warts on the soles of the feet can be quite painful and common warts on the fingers or hands are unattractive, can cause embarrassment, and can sometimes interfere with manual work, prompt and effective treatment is recommended.
Who gets warts?
Of the millions of people who seek treatment for common warts, the majority are under the age of forty. Children and adolescents are prone to common warts, perhaps because they get more scrapes and cuts. Plantar warts are seen more often in adults. However, it seems that some older people can become immune to the virus. Some medical experts speculate that the risk of catching warts depends more on a person's level of immunity to the virus than on how often he or she comes in contact with the virus.
What do common and plantar warts look like?
Common warts start as very small, firm bumps with a rough surface. They may be round or irregular in shape, and their color can vary from whitish to brownish or grayish. They may grow up to a quarter of an inch (6 mm) to half an inch (12 mm). The black dots that are sometimes seen in the wart are tiny blood vessels that have clotted due to the warts rapid growth. Plantar warts generally larger than common warts. Because they are under pressure from standing and walking, they are firmer and flatter, so plantar warts are sometimes mistaken for a callus.
What happens if warts are ignored?
A few warts may eventually disappear without treatment, but than can take a long time. In the meantime, most people find warts unattractive and bothersome. Children and adolescents who have warts can become quite self-conscious about them. And, plantar warts can be quite painful. For all of these reasons, prompt and effective treatment is advisable.
How are common and plantar warts treated?
There are several different treatment options available to your dermatologist. These include cryosurgery (the freezing of the wart with liquid nitrogen), curettage (the scraping of the wart with a small metal curette), electrodessication (the wart is burned with electric current), topical therapy (chemical agents are applied directly to the wart, either in the office or at home), and laser therapy (the wart is vaporized by a laser beam). The type of treatment is determined by the size and location of the wart, the patients age, and the risk of scarring.
For additional information, please call an Office Nurse at (650) 325-1511, or send email to mdmg@mdmg.com.