Warts and verrucas

Warts | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Skin, hair and nails Warts and verrucas Warts and verrucas Warts are small lumps that often develop on the skin of the hands and feet. They vary in appearance and may develop singly or in clusters. Most people will have warts at some point in their life. They tend to affect children and teenagers more than adults. Warts are caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV). More images of warts Warts can develop on the hands and feet Source: dermnetnz.org Wart on finger Source: dermnetnz.org Cause of warts and verrucas Warts are caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are lots of different strains of HPV and these cause different types of warts. HPV causes too much keratin (a hard protein) to develop in the top skin layer (epidermis). The extra keratin produces the rough, hard texture of a wart. How warts spread HPV is passed on through close skin-to-skin contact. It can also be passed on indirectly by contact with contaminated objects like: towels shoes areas surrounding swimming pools the floors of communal changing areas Youre more likely to get infected if your skin is wet or damaged. Warts can also be spread to other parts of your own body. You can spread the virus if you: scratch, knock or bite a wart bite your nails or suck your fingers (if they have warts on them) shave your face or legs After you become infected, it can take weeks or even months for a wart or verruca to appear. When to get help Warts and verrucas arent usually serious and can be treated by a pharmacist. Your pharmacist will give you advice about the best treatment for you. Find your nearest pharmacy Speak to a GP if you have a: growth on your skin that youre worried about wart or verruca that keeps coming back wart or verruca thats very large or painful wart that bleeds wart that changes in how it looks wart on your face or genitals Types of wart There are several different types of warts. These vary in size and shape. Common warts (verruca vulgaris) Source: dermnetnz.org If you have a common wart, it will: be round or oval-shaped be firm and raised have a rough, irregular surface often develop on the knuckles, fingers and knees vary in size, from less than 1mm to more than 10mm (1cm) in diameter You may develop one common wart or several. Filiform warts (verruca filiformis) Source: dermnetnz.org Filiform warts are long and slender in appearance. They often develop on the neck or face. Mosaic warts Mosaic warts grow in clusters and form a tile-like pattern. They often develop on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Periungual warts Source: dermnetnz.org Periungual warts develop under and around the fingernails or toenails. They: have a rough surface can affect the shape of the nail can be painful Plane warts Source: dermnetnz.org Its possible to have between one and several hundred plane warts, which can develop in clusters. They are usually: a yellowish colour smooth, round and flat-topped 2 to 4mm in diameter common in young children  mainly affecting the hands, face and legs Plane warts can sometimes develop on the lower legs of women. This is because the human papilloma virus (HPV) can be spread through shaving. Verrucas (plantar warts) Verrucas usually develop on the soles of the feet. The affected area of skin will be: white, often with a black dot (blood vessel) in the centre flat rather than raised Verrucas can sometimes be painful if theyre on a weight-bearing part of th Treating warts and verrucas Warts usually clear up without treatment. The length of time it takes for a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. It can take up to 2 years for the virus to leave your system and for warts to disappear. Warts tend to last longer in older children and adults. Leaving the wart to go away by itself is one option. But, you may want to consider treatment if your wart is: painful in an awkward position causing you distress or embarrassment A wart will sometimes return following treatment. Types of treatment Common ways to treat warts and verrucas include: salicylic acid  available from pharmacies in creams, gels, paints and medicated plasters cryotherapy  liquid nitrogen is applied to the wart to freeze and destroy affected skin cells chemical treatments  chemicals are applied to warts to kill affected skin cells Surgery is not usually recommended for warts. Preventing warts and verrucas There are steps you can take to lower your chances of getting warts, and prevent them spreading to others. Do keep your feet dry change your socks every day take care when shaving  the virus can be spread easily if you cut yourself wear gloves when using shared gym equipment if you have a wart on your hand wear pool slippers or flip flops in communal changing rooms and showers cover the wart or verruca with a waterproof plaster or a verruca sock when swimming or while doing PE at school Dont do not touch other peoples warts do not share towels, flannels or other personal items with someone who has a wart do not share shoes or socks with someone who has a verruca do not scratch or pick a wart or verruca  itll encourage the HPV to spread to other parts of your body Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 07 March 2024 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. 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