Picture of Warts

Warts are simply benign skin growths caused by the extremely common human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many different strains of the virus which consequently gives rise to the varying forms of warts, as shown in the pictures below.

Despite being unightly and embarrassing, most HPV infections are non-cancerous and fairly harmless. However, particular care should be taken with genital warts as these can give rise to cervical cancer in women.

The wart virus is also extremely contagious. Simply touching the wart can release the virus which can then go on to infect others.

It is also not advisable to scratch or bite warts as this can cause them to bleed and break up, which makes them even more contagious.

What Are Warts provides more details on the HPV virus and the different types of warts. Pictures of Warts are provided below.

Common warts are typically found on the hands and fingers and are raised, almost cauliflower like, in appearance.The common wart is flesh colored and rough to the touch.

The wart often looks as if it has little red dots in it. These are simply blood spots produced by the blood vessel which is feeding the infected area. The HPV virus can be transmitted by sharing a damp hand towel with an infected person or from skin to skin contact.

Warts on the hand can spread rapidly, especially if the infected person habitually bites their finger nails or chews on the ends of their fingers. This is why common warts are frequently found in locations where the skin has been broken.

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Flat warts are typically found on areas that are regularly shaved such as the male face and female legs. Flat warts are the smallest wart variety and are smooth and flat, just as the name suggests. Often flesh colored, flat warts are found in clusters and can be extremely unsightly.

Filiform warts are particularly distressing as they occur on the face, either individually or in clusters. They typically appear around the eyelids (as shown below), neck or lips. However, it should be noted that they can occur on any part of the face or neck. Filiform warts are also known as facial warts, for obvious reasons, although they can also appear on the neck.

Filiform warts are normally benign and tend to be long, almost brush like in nature, protruding from the face. The warts may have a tendency to bleed and itch and this can lead to the spreading of the warts. The warts may become sore if they are repeatedly scratched or bumped

Due to the sensitive location of filiform warts, you should always seek medical attention. If you try to remove them with over the counter treatments you may leave yourself with permanent scars.

The human papillomavirus can also infect the tongue and other epithelial surfaces including the throat, mouth and tonsils. Occuring in clusters, these small blisters burst and spread easily, Tongue warts can naturally make eating extremely painful.

The plantar wart is commonly referred to as a verruca and typically appears on the soles of the feet (as shown below).

Unlike warts on other parts of the body, plantar warts tend to bury deep into the skin as opposed to being raised. Nonetheless, they can cause extreme discomfort when walking.

Verruca's are rather contagious and care should be taken when when bare foot activities are taken, particularly swimming. If at all possible, suitable footwear should be worn, such as flip-flops, which can be left at the side of the pool.

No pictures of genital warts can be provided on this hub due to the graphic nature of the images.

Nonetheless, as infections of male genital wartsand female genital warts are extremely distressful medical conditions, I hope to provide you with a link to pictures of genital warts in the very near future.

As a word of caution, please do not try and treat genital warts by yourself. Always seek medical advice.

Before deciding on the correct type of home wart treatment you need to determine which type of wart you have.

The American Academy of Dermatology identifies three common wart types as being names as common, flat and plantar.

You can purchase home treatments which will "freeze" the warts or you can purchase the traditional topical applications which gently "burn" away warts and verruca's over a period of time.

You will also need to ensure that the treatment you purchase is suitable for both the type and location of the wart.

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Please note that this hub is NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE and is solely for informational purposes. You should always consult a suitably qualified medical professional.