Overview Of Warts
These small, noncancerous growths appear when your skin is infected with one of the many viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. The virus triggers extra cell growth, which makes the outer layer of the skin thick and hard in that spot. Different HPV strains cause different warts. The wart-causing virus can be passed on by close skin-to-skin contact and through contact with towels or shoes.
Types Of Warts :
Common warts, or verruca vulgaris
Common warts have a firm, raised, rough surface and may appear cauliflower-like. They can occur anywhere, but they are most common on the knuckles, fingers, elbows, knees and any area with broken skin. Clotted blood vessels are often visible in common warts as small, darkened spots. These are known as seed warts.
Plantar Warts
Painful verruca appears on the soles of the feet, heels and toes. They usually grow into the skin because the person’s weight pushes onto the sole of the foot. They normally have a small central black dot surrounded by hard, white tissue. Plantar warts are often difficult to clear.
Plane warts, or verruca plana
Plane warts are round, flat and smooth. They can be yellowish, brownish, or skin colored. Also known as flat warts, they grow most often on sun-exposed areas. They tend to grow in larger numbers, possibly between 20 and 100. However, of all wart types, they are most likely to disappear without treatment.
Filiform warts, or verruca filiformis
Filiform warts are long and thin in shape. They can grow rapidly on the eyelids, neck and armpits.
Mosaic warts
Mosaic warts are multiple plantar warts in a large cluster. Unlike moles, warts are often the same color as the person’s skin. Warts do not contain pus unless they become infected. If infection occurs, they may require treatment with antibiotics.
Causes :
HPV viruses cause the excessive and rapid growth of keratin, which is a hard protein on the top layer of the skin.
Different HPV strains cause different warts. The wart-causing virus can be passed on by close skin-to-skin contact and through contact with towels or shoes.