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February 6, 2012
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Warts
(Common Warts)

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Warts—A Common Infectious Disease

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Barbara K. Hecht, PhD

There are over 100 types of human papillomaviruses; some cause venereal warts, while others cause common skin warts.The warts commonly seen on the skin are caused by a viral infection. The culprit is one of the HPVs (human papillomaviruses) that can be spread from person to person or be acquired through contact with a contaminated surface.

Over 100 types of HPVs have been identified that infect skin or mucous membranes, depending on the virus type. HPV types that infect skin lead to the development of common skin warts.

HPVs have gained widespread attention for their proven role in the development of genital and anal cancers, particularly cancer of the cervix. Specific "high risk" types of HPV that infect the mucosal tissue that lines the genital area are responsible for these carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effects. "High risk" HPVs have also been implicated in the development of a subset of head and neck cancers that develop in the area of the tonsils.

There are also "low risk" HPV types that lead to the development of benign lesions in the genital area, such as genital warts. Some of these HPV types infect skin and cause warts in various locations on the body. Other HPV types cause benign growths, or papillomas, on the vocal cords.


Top Searched Warts Terms:

plantar, vaginal, men, venereal, treatment, human papillomavirus
Doctor to Patient

What are common warts?

Common warts are local growths in the skin that are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Although they are considered to be contagious, it is very common for just one family member to have them. In addition, they often affect just one part of the body (such as the hands or the feet) without spreading over time to other areas.

What are some types of common warts?

  • There is the familiar type of dome-shaped warts on the backs of fingers, toes, and knees.


  • Plantar warts are found on the bottom of the foot. (The "plantar" part of the foot. These are not "Planter's warts.")


  • Flat ("plane") warts may arise on the face, legs, and other parts of the body, often in large numbers.


  • Periungual warts are warts around or under the nail.


  • Filiform warts typically appear as a single long stalk, often on the face.

What is the treatment for common warts?

Common warts can be annoying to anyone. This information is about the treatment of common warts. It does not apply to genital or venereal warts. Over-the-counter treatment for common skin warts has long been based upon the use of products containing salicylic acid. Newer nonprescription wart treatments use aerosols to freeze warts.

Salicylic-acid preparations

These are available as drops, gels, pads, and plasters. They are designed for application to all kinds of warts, from tiny ones to great, big lumpy ones. Salicylic acid is a keratolytic medication, which means it dissolves the protein (keratin), which makes up most of both the wart and the thick layer of dead skin that often tops it.

Nonprescription freezing methods

Aerosol wart treatments available over-the-counter use sprays that freeze warts at a temperature of minus 70 F (minus 57 C). This compares with the liquid nitrogen used by most dermatologists, which is considerably colder (minus 320 F or minus 196 C).

Duct tape

It is claimed that warts can be "suffocated" by covering them with duct tape or other nonbreathing tape, such as electrical tape. This treatment is hard to use, however, because in order to work, the tape must be left in place all the time and removed only a few hours once per week. Almost always, the tape falls off.



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Warts (Common Warts)

What is a skin tag?

Skin tags are common, acquired, benign skin growths that look like a small piece of soft, hanging skin. Skin tags are harmless growths. Some individuals may be more prone to tags (greater than 50-100 tags) either through increased weight, in part combined with heredity, or other unknown causes. Males and females are equally prone to developing skin tags. Obesity and being moderately overweight (even temporary increases in weight) dramatically increase the chances of having skin tags. Women of normal weight with larger breasts are also more prone to developing skin tags under their breasts. Some small tags spontaneously rub or fall off painlessly and the person may not even know they had a skin tag. Most tags do not fall off on their own and persist once formed. The medical name for skin tag is acrochordon.

Skin tags are bits of skin- or flesh-colored tissue that project from the surrounding skin from a small, narrow stalk. Some people ca...

Read the Skin Tag article »






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