Skin Conditions and Warts

Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on July 19, 2024
Written by Deanna Altomara
8 min read

Warts are noncancerous growths that develop on your skin or mucous membranes (soft, fleshy areas such as inside your mouth and genitals). They vary widely in shape and appearance — some are round, some are flat, and some are threadlike. They’re usually not a problem, but sometimes they can be painful or make it difficult to walk (like if you have a wart on your foot). You also might feel self-conscious about how the warts look.

Warts are fairly common. About 1 in 10 people get them at some point. They’re more common in children, people with weakened immune systems, and people who regularly handle raw meat.

There are different types of warts. All of them are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

What is HPV?

HPV is a virus that spreads through cuts and skin-to-skin contact during sex. It usually enters your body through areas of skin that are moist, soft, or damaged.

Once the virus has gotten in, it causes extra cells to grow in that spot. When this happens, your skin will form a hard, thick lump.

There are many different types of HPV — over 100 types, in fact. Some of them can cause warts. The type of warts you get (and where you get them) depends on the type of HPV you have.

There are several types of warts based on how they look, the strain of HPV that causes them, and what parts of your body they affect.

Common warts

Common warts form rough bumps on your hands. They’re pretty small, ranging from the size of a pinprick to a pencil eraser. You might notice tiny black dots, which are actually dead blood vessels. This type of wart is usually caused by HPV types 2 or 4.

Plantar warts 

Plantar warts affect the soles (also called the plantar surface) of the feet. They usually appear as flat growths flecked with small clotted blood vessels that look like tiny black dots. They can grow deeper into your foot, sometimes becoming large and painful. They’re caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57.

Mosaic warts

This is another type of wart that grows on your feet. These warts tend to be flat, white, pinhead-sized marks on the balls of your feet and under your toes. They’re caused by HPV type 2.

Genital warts 

Genital warts can appear in your pubic area, on your genitals, in or around your anus, in your vagina, and in your mouth. They’re small, hard, and rough and are usually flesh-colored or whitish-gray. The warts may look like cauliflower, or they may be very tiny and difficult to see. They often appear in clusters. They usually aren't painful, although they may cause mild pain, discomfort, bleeding, and itching. Most genital warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11.

Flat warts 

Flat warts are smoother, flatter, and smaller than other warts. They generally occur in groups on your face, back of the hands, neck, or legs. A single grouping can have up to 100 flat warts. This type of wart is more common in teens and children than in adults. They’re caused by HPV types 3, 10, and 28.

Filiform warts

These are threadlike growths that form around your eyes, nose, and mouth. They’re caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27 and 29.

In most cases, warts on the skin are harmless and may go away without treatment. Some, like flat warts, may take a few months or even years to go away. If you have a weakened immune system, your body will have a hard time fighting off the virus that causes warts, so you may need a doctor’s help.

If you want your wart to go away faster, there are treatments that can help. But keep in mind that warts sometimes come back after treatment, and you may need more than one type of treatment. Although doctors try to clear warts quickly, most methods to remove them require multiple treatment sessions. 

Treatments include:

Freezing warts 

Your doctor can use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. It may take three or four appointments before the wart blisters and peels off. Unfortunately, the treatment can be painful and may cause blistering or scarring.

Cantharidin 

Your doctor will put liquid cantharidin on your wart. Over the next week, a blister will form around the wart, cutting off its blood supply. A week later, you’ll go back to your doctor’s office so they can cut off the dead wart. 

Medication for warts 

Some wart medications are prescription-strength versions of over-the-counter options, such as salicylic acid. Other medications include bleomycin, which is injected into a wart to kill it, and imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara), an immunotherapy drug that stimulates your immune system to fight off the wart virus. Another option for children is 5-fluorouracil.

Surgery for warts

When warts can't be removed by other therapies, a doctor can do surgery to cut away the wart. They'll destroy the base of the wart using a curette and an electric needle. The process may leave a scar.

Laser surgery for warts

This procedure uses an intense beam of light (a laser) to burn and destroy wart tissue. It can leave a scar.

Home remedies for warts

You may be able to take care of mild warts at home. You can try:

Salicylic acid for warts

Over-the-counter wart treatments come in several forms (gel, ointments, or pads) and have salicylic acid as their active ingredient. When you apply the treatment on a regular basis, the acid gradually dissolves the wart tissue, one layer at a time. The process may take several weeks or months. This strategy works on about 50%-70% of common warts. 

Over-the-counter freezing spray products

Some freezing products and liquid nitrogen sprays can help you freeze your wart at home.

Duct tape

This folk remedy involves covering your wart with duct tape. You leave the duct tape on for 6 days, then take it off and soak the wart in warm water. You can use an emery board or pumice stone to gently remove dead skin. Then, you leave the wart exposed to open air for about 12 hours and repeat the process until the wart goes away.

Research has shown that this method doesn’t work very well, and medical experts don't recommend it. 

If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, or if you need a wart surgically removed, go to a doctor. Never try to cut away or rip off a wart on your own. It could become infected.

HPV, the virus that causes warts, spreads through touch. If you touch a wart, or something that has been in contact with a wart (like a towel), you could get infected. The virus gets into your body through cracked skin, cuts, or fleshy areas such as your genitals.

Here are some ways to lower your risk of getting warts:

  • Don’t touch someone else’s wart.
  • Don’t borrow or share towels, razors, nail clippers, or other personal items.
  • Don’t bite your nails.
  • Don’t pull or pick at your cuticles (the dead skin around your nails).
  • Moisturize regularly to keep skin smooth and healthy.
  • Put bandages on cuts.
  • Wear flip-flops in public locker rooms and swimming pools.
  • Ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine.

To help prevent genital warts, you can:

  • Avoid sexual contact.
  • Use condoms or dental dams during sexual activity.
  • Have sex only with a partner who isn't having sex with other people.
  • Avoid having sex with anyone who has visible genital warts.
  • Don’t douche.
  • Regularly get tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections.
  • Get the HPV vaccine.

How to prevent warts from spreading

If you already have warts, there are many simple ways to keep them from spreading. You can:

  • Cover them with a bandage.
  • Avoid touching or picking at them.
  • Shave around the warts, not letting the razor touch them.
  • Keep your feet dry (if you have plantar warts).
  • Wash your hands after touching the warts.

If you have genital warts or HPV, tell your partner(s). They may want to get tested for HPV. You also can protect them by using a condom or dental dam during sexual activity. Don’t have sex when you have visible warts.

Warts are skin growths caused by some types of HPV. They can appear in a variety of places, shapes, and forms. Most are harmless and go away on their own. But if your wart becomes painful, you can try some home remedies or talk to your doctor about medical removal options. To avoid spreading warts, cover them with a bandage and wash your hands after touching them.

What is the main cause of warts? 

Warts are caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

What kills warts permanently? 

There’s no cure for the virus that causes warts. Home remedies and medical treatments can make your warts go away, but you can still spread the virus to other people. The warts may come back one day.

Can you spread warts by touching them? 

HPV, the virus that causes warts, spreads through touch. If you touch a wart, you will be exposed to the virus and could spread it to someone else.

Do warts go away on their own?

They can, but it might take a while. Approximately 65% disappear within 2 years. But some treatments can help you get rid of your wart sooner.

What is the strongest wart remover? 

Your doctor can surgically remove a wart.

What happens if you pick a wart and it bleeds? 

Avoid touching your wart. Picking at it could spread the virus, and ripping it off could lead to the sore getting infected. Cover the wart with a bandage.