Have you ever looked down at your feet and spotted a small, fleshy bump that wasn’t there before? Maybe it is even a bit painful to the touch? If so, then you know what it’s like to discover that you have a wart. It’s okay, though – warts are actually a super common skin issue. While they can be a bit of a nuisance, they’re usually harmless. Still, you want to make sure you’re doing the right things to ensure you don’t spread them to anyone else, get rid of yours as quickly as you can, and prevent yourself from getting a new one. Read on to get to know these little bumps a little bit better.
What Exactly IS a Wart?
At its core, a wart is a small skin growth caused by a virus – the human papillomavirus (HPV). When the virus gets into your body through a tiny cut or scrape, it can cause the skin cells to grow rapidly on the surface, creating that familiar bumpy texture of a wart.
Types of Warts
Warts come in all shapes and sizes and can show up almost anywhere on your body. That being said, there are some types of warts that are more common than others. The following are the most common types of warts that people get.
Common Warts
These are the classic warts, often found on hands and fingers. They have a rough, “cauliflower-like” surface. Usually they are fairly small, but they can grow if left untreated.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts are those that hang out on the bottom of your feet. Because of the pressure from walking, they can grow inward. For this reason, they can sometimes feel like a painful pebble in your shoe. These can grow to be quite large if left untreated.
Flat Warts
As the name suggests, these are flatter and smoother than other warts. They often appear on the face, arms, or legs. How you treat them will depend slightly on their location, as the skin on your face is usually more sensitive than that on your arms or legs.
Filiform Warts
These are a bit dramatic-looking warts. They have long, thin, thread-like growths that love to pop up around the eyes, nose or mouth. Again, treatment may differ for these as well given their sensitive locations.
Genital Warts
Gential warts are those that show up on or around your genitals or anus. They can be raised or flat, small or big, and sometimes, when they group together, they look a bit like a tiny head of cauliflower. While they’re usually painless, they can cause itching, burning, or even bleeding. Most of the time, they’re caused by HPV 6 and 11, but some more serious HPV types, like 16. This type of HPV is linked to a higher risk of genital cancer, which is why it’s so important to be aware of them. Prevention is key, meaning using protection when having sex, getting tested regularly, and never having unprotected sex until both you and your partner have been tested.
Age Warts
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