You make the call by Kate Traynor ery few people have skin as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom. Most of us have at least a few lumps, bumps or spots on our skin. Warts Warts are annoying but generally harmless skin growths caused by a papillomavirus. They are found in the outer layer of the skin, and can occur just about anywhere on the body. Some people develop a single wart, while others have clusters of many warts.
Skin irritated by shaving or nail-biting is more prone to developing warts than is unbroken skin.
Although they are caused by a virus, warts aren't very infectious. The exception is genital warts, which can be transmitted by sexual contact. Any wart that is found in the genital area should be examined by a doctor. If you look closely, you may notice that the surface of a wart is bumpy, and there may be tiny flecks of blood inside the wart. Plantar warts, which develop on the soles of the feet, look flat because they are compressed by the weight of your body.