Are you asking yourself, “what are warts? ” Well, these skin-colored rough bumps form a widespread condition among people.
They are caused by the HPV (the human papillomavirus) family and are considered a type of skin infection. Keep reading this article to learn all about the condition!
What are warts?
Warts are usually found on the hands but can also appear on the face, feet, knees, and genitals.
Warts can grow in any part of the skin. The virus makes extra cells grow, resulting in an outer layer of skin that is thicker and hard on that specific spot. In addition, their position on the body and how they look classify them.
The most common ones can appear as a pattern of little black dots, which are clotted blood vessels. Warts have a grainy look and can appear between someone’s hands and fingers. They can easily spread just by touching someone with the condition.
What are the symptoms of warts?
As mentioned, we usually find warts on the hands and fingers. They are small, rough to the touch, and look like fleshy grainy bumps on the skin. The clotted blood vessels present on them appear as tiny black pinpoints.
They can be at most around 10 millimeters, and their surface can be smooth or rough. They can appear in groups or alone, and sometimes they can also itch.
Some of the risk factors for the development of warts include injuries to your skin and infections that can cause the skin surface to break.
Hyperhidrosis (sweat heavily) on hands and feet can also increase the risk, and the same goes for having your hands wet frequently.
Also, be careful when shaving or scratching the area where warts are present because they can spread to different places.
Are warts contagious?
Warts are most contagious when in direct contact with the skin of someone infected. This can happen, especially if the skin is wet or damaged.
It can also occur through contaminated objects and different surfaces like a swimming area. Personal objects like towels and razors can contribute to spreading them too.
Besides the infection between people, common warts can also go from one body part to another. This happens the same way as the infection between people.
However, it is harder to avoid since you can use the same objects in different body parts.
After being infected, common warts can take weeks and even months to appear. They are usually harmless, including the sexually transmitted types, and go away independently.
However, they can be uncomfortable, and because of that, some people prefer to seek treatment.
Wart treatment options
Although they are mostly harmless and disappear without the need for treatment, there are some symptoms that you should keep an eye on.
First, you should be attentive if they hurt or prevent you from performing your regular tasks.
The constant presence of warts in adults can be a problem. If too many of them start to appear on you and don’t go away, it may indicate that your immune system is malfunctioning.
Also, keep track of their appearance and color, if they change, it can indicate something, and you should consult a doctor.
You can find home remedies or over-the-counter products at the pharmacy. These treatments are simple, and you can do them yourself without needing to see a doctor.
Among these solutions, the most common ones are the freezing treatment or adding patches containing salicylic acid to remove warts.
However, if you prefer a more assisted treatment, you can look for a doctor and go for treatments involving liquid nitrogen or surgery.
People with diabetes are recommended to look for a doctor in case of warts appearing on their feet.
Now that you know the answer to your “what are warts?” question, you can be attentive and look for signs of this infection on your body.
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