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 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.

More images of warts

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

You’re 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 aren’t 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 you’re worried about
• wart or verruca that keeps coming back
• wart or verruca that’s 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)

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)

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

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

It’s 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 they’re 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

Don’t

• do not touch other people’s 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 – it’ll encourage the HPV to spread to other parts of your body