Why does warts form

These chemicals are applied to the warts to kill affected skin cells. Potential side effects include the skin being stained brown with glutaraldehyde and burns to the surrounding skin with silver nitrate. If you are pregnant and have warts, your pharmacist may recommend using salicylic acid, cryotherapy or duct tape.

Salicylic acid can be used to treat warts during pregnancy, as long as it is used on a small area for a limited period of time. Most people will be infected by the human papilloma virus HPV at some point in their life and develop warts. However, there are steps you can take to lower your chances of getting warts and prevent spreading them to others, if you have them. If you have a wart or verruca, you should cover it up when taking part in communal activities.

For example, you should:. Home Illnesses and conditions Skin, hair and nails Warts and verrucas. Warts and verrucas See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About warts and verrucas 2. Symptoms of warts and verrucas 3. Causes of warts and verrucas 4.

Treating warts and verrucas 5. Preventing warts and verrucas. About warts and verrucas Warts are small lumps that often develop on the skin of the hands and feet. Warts are non-cancerous, but can resemble certain cancers. What causes warts? Warts are caused by an infection with the human papilloma virus HPV. Are warts contagious? When to get professional advice. Pharmacy First Scotland: Warts and verrucas treatment from your pharmacy If you have warts or verrucas you can get advice and treatment directly from a pharmacy.

Find your local pharmacy on Scotland's Service Directory. Your pharmacist may advise you to see your GP if you have a wart that: bleeds changes in appearance spreads causes you significant pain, distress or embarrassment Treating warts Most warts are harmless and clear up without treatment. Common methods of treatment include: salicylic acid cryotherapy freezing the skin cells chemical treatments Treatment for warts is not always completely effective, and a wart will sometimes return following treatment.

Surgery is not usually recommended for warts. Symptoms of warts and verrucas Warts are not usually painful, but some types, such as verrucas, may hurt. 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 similar to a cauliflower 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.

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 be flat rather than raised sometimes be painful if they are on a weight-bearing part of the foot Plane warts It is 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 mm in diameter common in young children — mainly affecting the hands, face and legs Plane warts can sometimes develop on the lower legs of women, as the human papilloma virus HPV can be spread through shaving.

Filiform warts verruca filiformis Filiform warts are long and slender in appearance, often developing on the neck or face. 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 Mosaic warts Mosaic warts grow in clusters and form a "tile-like" pattern. Causes of warts and verrucas Warts are caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus HPV. HPV is a family of viruses that affects the skin and moist membranes mucosa of the body. Spreading the virus HPV is passed on through close skin-to-skin contact. 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 This can cause the wart to break up and bleed, making it easier for the virus to spread.

Treating warts and verrucas Warts usually clear up without treatment. Your GP should always refer you to a specialist if you need treatment for a wart on your face. Treatment options There are a number of treatments available for warts. Treatments include: salicylic acid cryotherapy chemical treatments Surgery to treat warts is not usually recommended because warts often return and further treatment is required.

These various treatments are described below. Salicylic acid Many wart and verruca treatments — including creams, gels, paints and medicated plasters — are available over the counter from pharmacies. Cryotherapy In cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen is applied to your wart for a few seconds to freeze and destroy the affected skin cells.

Possible side effects of cryotherapy include: pain and blistering your skin may become darker hyperpigmentation or lighter hypopigmentation — particularly if you have black skin your nails may develop an abnormal change in shape or structure if cryotherapy is used to treat warts that develop around the nails periungual warts Cryotherapy is sometimes carried out at GP surgeries or at hospital skincare clinics.

Chemical treatments Warts can also be treated using chemical treatments available on prescription. The treatments contain chemicals such as: formaldehyde glutaraldehyde silver nitrate These chemicals are applied to the warts to kill affected skin cells. Other Treatments If the above treatments do not clear warts then other methods may be tried such as: light therapy photodynamic therapy laser therapy acupuncture for flat warts only These treatments may not be available on the NHS.

Treating warts during pregnancy If you are pregnant and have warts, your pharmacist may recommend using salicylic acid, cryotherapy or duct tape. Show references Goldstein BG, et al. Cutaneous warts common, plantar, and flat warts. Accessed March 7, Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Philadelphia, Pa.

Kwok CS, et al. Topical treatments for cutaneous warts. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Kermott CA, et al. Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies. Rochester, Minn. Bope ET, et al.

In: Conn's Current Therapy Flat warts usually grow on the face, thighs, or arms. They are small and not immediately noticeable. They can be pink, brownish, or slightly yellow. Filiform warts grow around your mouth or nose and sometimes on your neck or under your chin. They are small and shaped like a tiny flap or tag of skin.

Filiform warts are the same color as your skin. Periungual warts grow under and around the toenails and fingernails. They can be painful and affect nail growth. Although warts usually go away on their own, they are ugly and uncomfortable, so you may want to try treating them at home. Many warts respond well to treatments available at the drugstore.

These over-the-counter treatments spray concentrated cold air a mixture of dimethyl ether and propane onto your wart. This kills the skin and allows you to scrape away the surface of the wart. You must use these products every day, often for a few weeks. Shop for salicylic acid treatments. Some people have had success treating warts with duct tape. The process involves covering the wart with a small piece of duct tape for several days, then soaking the wart, and, finally, rubbing the wart to remove the dead skin.

This approach can take several rounds of treatments to work. Remember, always see your doctor if you have diabetes and have warts on your feet. Your doctor may freeze your wart with liquid nitrogen.

This can be a bit painful, but usually works well. More than one treatment may be required. Freezing causes a blister to form under and around your wart. This lifts the wart away from the skin within about a week. Your doctor can cut away your wart with a surgical knife or burn it with electricity. Surgery may also cause scarring.