Warts

What are warts?

Warts are growths on your skin that are caused by a spreadable family of viruses called the human papillomavirus (HPV). As a result, you most commonly get them on your hands (from touching surfaces with HPV on them) and feet (from walking barefoot in a location where HPV is present). That said, warts can appear anywhere on your body. 

What are the different types of warts?

There are multiple types of warts.

Common warts

These warts appear as raised bumps that feel rough to the touch. They’re often gray in appearance. 

Plantar warts

These warts appear on the soles of your feet and can be painful to walk on. 

Filiform warts

These are warts that grow around your nose, eyes, or mouth. They’re usually similar in color to your skin and can grow long and narrow. 

Flat warts

As the name implies, these warts are usually flat and relatively small. 

Periungual warts

These warts form around or under your fingernails or toenails. They usually look like thickened skin. 

How are warts treated?

Most warts go away on their own, but if untreated they can persist for years. The Center for Dermatology offers a variety of wart removal options. 

Many patients use over-the-counter topical agents against warts first. When topical agents are ineffective or don’t work quickly enough, your provider may use cryotherapy to freeze the wart, electrosurgery to cauterize it, or may simply use a shave removal technique to remove the wart. Topical immunotherapy may also be used to help treat warts. 

Despite the variety of methods available to treat warts, warts can be persistent, and sometimes, multiple treatments may be needed to fully remove them.

To have your wart treated, call the Center for Dermatology at 770-682-2500 or request an appointment online today.