Which virus causes warts

Print Share Download. While having warts can be annoying—even embarrassing—they are often treatable and not harmful. What are the risk factors for developing viral warts? How are viral warts diagnosed? How are viral warts treated at home? Salicylic acid: This can generally be found as a liquid, on pads or as a tape, and is applied directly to the wart nightly. These are available over-the-counter and are a good starting point for treatment; treatment can take several months.

Cryotherapy: These over-the-counter sprays, which freeze off the warts, are milder forms of the liquid nitrogen therapies you will find at the dermatologist. Duct tape: Some people apply duct tape to the wart in much the same way you would salicylic acid treatments. Bunick explains. Duct tape can also aid in removal of the thickened skin associated with warts, which can help to make treatments like salicylic acid more effective.

How are viral warts treated by a dermatologist? If warts do not respond to standard treatments, a dermatologist, or skin specialist, may offer other options. Common warts, especially around the fingernails and toenails, may be difficult to eliminate completely or permanently. They can occur anywhere, but they are most common on the fingers, near the nails, and on any area with broken skin. They typically have a small central black dot surrounded by hard, white tissue. Plantar warts are often difficult to clear.

Plane warts are round, flat, and smooth. They tend to grow in larger numbers, sometimes between 20— at once. Mosaic warts are multiple plantar warts in a single cluster. They typically occur under the toes and on the balls of the feet, but can spread across the foot.

HPV causes the excessive and rapid growth of keratin, which is a hard protein on the top layer of the skin. This results in warts forming. Different HPV strains cause different warts. These strains can transmit through close skin-to-skin contact and contact with items recently exposed to HPV. The virus can spread to other parts of the body through :. Having wet or damaged skin, such as a cut or scrape, increases the risk of infection. For example, a person with cuts on their feet is more likely to develop a verruca from visiting public swimming pools.

The transmission risk of warts is low in adults and higher in children and infants. People with a compromised or suppressed immune system have a higher risk for contracting an HPV strain leading to warts. Other transmissible HPV strains can lead to cervical, anal, penile, and vulvovaginal cancer.

But these are not the strains that cause genital warts, although a person may carry and transmit multiple strains at once. Warts typically disappear independently, so maintaining good hygiene and helping prevent further infection is an important first step in self-remedies. Products containing salicylic acid are available for home use. A person may be able to treat warts effectively using OTC products. Some people may recommend other remedies , such as putting duct tape on warts and certain forms of hypnosis.

But these remedies are purely anecdotal and have no medical benefit nor support. A person can help reduce their risk for catching or spreading warts.

Warts are abnormal growths on the skin. They occur when an HPV strain infects the skin and causes rapid cell growth. Common warts are small, grainy skin growths that occur most often on your fingers or hands.

Rough to the touch, common warts also often feature a pattern of tiny black dots, which are small, clotted blood vessels. Common warts are caused by a virus and are transmitted by touch. It can take a wart as long as two to six months to develop after your skin has been exposed to the virus. Common warts are usually harmless and eventually disappear on their own. But many people choose to remove them because they find them bothersome or embarrassing.

Common warts are caused by the human papillomavirus HPV. The virus is quite common and has more than types, but only a few cause warts on your hands. Some strains of HPV are acquired through sexual contact. Most forms, however, are spread by casual skin contact or through shared objects, such as towels or washcloths. The virus usually spreads through breaks in your skin, such as a hangnail or a scrape. Biting your nails also can cause warts to spread on your fingertips and around your nails.

Each person's immune system responds to the HPV virus differently, so not everyone who comes in contact with HPV develops warts. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.