A wart is a rough growth, typically on hands and feet, but can also occur on other parts of the body, that usually resembles a cauliflower or a solid blister. They are caused by a viral infection and there are as many as ten varieties of warts; the most common, considered harmless. Warts are contagious and usually enter the body in an area of broken skin that is exposed without proper treatment. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and at times may re-occur.

What Causes Warts: Types

• Common warts (verruca vulgaris):these have a rough surface, are firm and raised. They usually resemble a cauliflower and are more common on the knuckles, fingers, elbows and knees.

• Verrucas (plantar warts):these appear on the soles of the feet, sometimes the heel and toes and can be extremely painful owing to the weight of the body on the soles which causes them to grow back into the skin. This type usually has a dark center, surrounded by a hard white area.  The dark center is the wart’s blood supply.

• Plane warts (verruca plana):these areround, flat and smooth and are generally yellowish, brownish or skin color. They are also known as flat warts and are more common among young children as compared to adults.

• Filiform warts (verruca filiformis):these are usually found on the eyelids, neck and armpits and are elongated.

• Mosaic warts:these are generally clustered in nature and grow on the palm of the hands and feet.

What Causes Warts: Causes

Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) virus, which are non-cancerous. The virus causes keratin, a hard protein in the top layer of the skin to grow too fast. The wart-causing virus can be spread to other parts of the body in the following ways:

• Scratching or biting a wart, which causes it to bleed

• Sucking fingers

• Biting fingernails

• Shaving (although not common)

What Causes Warts: Prevention

Since warts are usually visible on the skin, preventing them is the best method of avoiding them. Following are some of the ways in which warts can be prevented:

• Keeping oneself dry at all times

• If there is a broken or infested skin, treat it with antibacterial solution and cover it with a medicinal tape

• Avoid prolonged exposure to public water areas

• Avoid sharing of shaving blades

Knowing what causes warts is the first and foremost method of preventing them. People with hypersensitive skin should especially pay attention to personal hygiene to prevent warts.

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Tags: common warts, hpv, hpv warts, plantar warts, solid blister, typically on hands and feet, verruca vulgaris, viral infection, wart, what causes warts