What are warts?
Warts are those annoying bumps that feel a bit rougher and harder than normal skin. A wart is caused by an infection with a virus known as human papilloma virus (HPV). This virus causes a small, benign growth of the skin. The warts virus is very contagious and therefore spreads easily. It is therefore not surprising that warts are among the 20 most common diagnoses made by general practitioners.
The warts virus is very common. It is not known why some people suffer from warts and some people do not. Fortunately, it is usually a relatively benign viral skin infection. However, a wart can sit in a nasty spot and become irritated and may cause painful complaints, and/or you may be embarrassed by it.
How do you recognise warts?
Most warts look like skin-coloured, callused bumps with a ‘cauliflower-like’ shape. They often feel harder and rougher than normal skin. In some cases warts are darker tinted or have a black tip; this is often due to a blocked blood vessel. Normal warts are between 1 and 10 mm in diameter.
A wart can often be found on your fingers, hands and/or feet. Below are the most common characteristics. Note: a wart does not always have to meet all the characteristics.
- Warts have a rough and irregular surface
- A wart is often harder than the surrounding skin
- Warts often have interrupted skin lines
- Skin colour may be white, pink or dark in colour
In some cases:
- Warts have a cauliflower-like shape
- You may see little black spots on it (blocked blood vessels)
- Warts have a smooth surface
- Warts are sunk into the skin under the foot (these are called verrucas or plantar warts)
Children and warts
It is known that most hand and plantar warts occur in children in primary school. Figures from the NIVEL primary care records show that 33% of all primary school pupils suffer from warts. Also, in about half of these children, the warts remain unnoticed by the parents for a long time.
Forwarts is suitable for children from 4 years of age.
Different types of wart
There are seven main types of wart:
The most common warts are the ‘common warts’ and the so-called ‘verrucas’. Verrucas ( or plantar warts ) are warts in the sole of the foot. Forwarts is recommended for use on common warts and verrucas
Common warts (medical name: verruca vulgaris) usually grow on the fingers and toes, but can also appear in other places. They have a rough, grainy appearance and a rounded tip. Common warts are often greyer than the surrounding skin. This type of wart is easy to treat with Forwarts..
Verrucas (verruca plantaris or plantar warts) grow on the soles of the feet. Unlike other warts, foot warts grow in the skin and do not stick out of the body. You can recognise a verruca by a small hole in the bottom of your foot that is surrounded by hardened skin. Verrucas may cause discomfort when walking. This type of wart is easy to treat with Forwarts.
Flat warts (verruca plana) usually grow on the face, thighs or arms. They are small and more difficult to spot. Flat warts have a flat top, as if they are planed. They can be pink, brown or light yellow.
Skin tags (fibroids) grow around the mouth or nose and sometimes on the neck or under the chin. They are small and have the shape of a small ‘flap’ of skin. Skin tags are the same colour as the skin.
Periungual warts grow under and around the toenails and fingernails. They can be very painful and can affect nail growth.
Genital warts (condylomata acuminata) are groups of pinkish-red to greyish-white warts around the genitals and/or the anus. The warts have a diameter of 1-5 mm and are close together. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease (STD), usually caused by a type of the herpes complex virus, human herpes virus 2 (HSV-2).
How do you treat warts?
Warts can be very contagious, even to one’s own body. Once you have a wart, you can easily get more. To prevent the further spread of warts, it is recommended that you avoid touching them. By biting or picking at the warts, for example, the virus can easily spread further. Close skin contact can also increase the risk of warts. This is especially the case where the skin is damaged.
You can easily treat your warts yourself at home. For this you can use cryotherapy.
