Warts

What causes warts?

Although warts aren’t very contagious, you catch them when you come into contact with someone who has them. They also spread through contaminated surfaces. You may spread the warts from one area of your body to another if you scratch the affected area and then touch another part of your body.

To avoid spreading them, wash your hands or cover your warts with plasters. Try not to share towels or clothing. To prevent catching warts, wash your hands after touching a person who already has warts or after coming into contact with shared equipment and spaces. You may also be more likely to catch warts if you have a weak immune system, because it makes you more susceptible to the HPV virus.

What are the symptoms of warts?

The main symptom of warts is the fleshy growth on the skin. It may be slightly lighter or darker than your natural skin tone, and sometimes has small dark or black spots within the main growth. Warts range in size from about one millimetre to ten millimetres. You might develop a cluster of warts close together, or just one. Sometimes, warts come with symptoms like itchiness, pain, pressure or tightness in the surrounding skin.

Can warts lead to other problems?

Warts are usually harmless. But they can be embarrassing for some people or cause issues with appearance. The main things you have to worry about are spreading your warts to others, or catching a secondary skin infection. So that you don’t spread warts, try not to share towels or bedding with others. Wash your hands after touching your warts and try not to scratch the area. Scratching your warts can also put you at risk of infection. If you break or damage the skin of the wart, you risk introducing bacteria that can harm you.