When most of us hear the term “warts”, we usually tend to think of depictions of scary witches from children’s stories. However, warts are a common skin issue. Warts are often associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which infects the upper layers of the skin. Once the virus has entered the skin, a wart can take form.
There are five different types of warts, which many patients do not even realize. Let’s take a closer look at what you should know about warts.
- Common warts. Common warts normally occur on the hands. They are usually coarse in texture, dome-shaped, and brownish in color.
- Plantar warts. Plantar warts can be best described as “lumpy.” These warts are white in color, with a tiny speck of black located at the center of the wart. Plantar warts can be extremely painful, mainly because they typically appear on the bottom of feet, causing walking to become painful and difficult.
- Flat warts. Flat warts are quite small, and feel smooth whenever they are touched. They appear to be similar in color to the skin, normally appearing appear pink, brown, or yellow. They are most common among children and young adults. While they are not as large as common warts, they can cause cosmetic concerns, especially since they are highly-visible when they appear on the face, neck, or legs.
- Periungal warts. Periungal warts typically appear on, around, or under toenails and fingernails. Warts of this variety are often extremely bumpy, uneven, and feel rough to touch. Patients with periungal warts often experience difficulty growing their fingernails.
- Filiform warts. Filiform warts appear around the mouth, nose, or the eyelids. These warts are quite different from the other four warts on this list, since they are not bumpy or brownish. Instead, these warts appear thin, long, and thread-like growths usually located on the face.
Warts are usually harmless, and will often disappear on their own, with no special treatment. Some of the most common treatments for warts include freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen, or laser surgery to destroy the wart. Additionally, some warts can be dissolved by simply using an over-the-counter cream.
Grosse Pointe Dermatologist
To find out more about what treatments we offer for warts, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our offices are located in Grosse Pointe, and you can book an appointment at (313)886-2000. We look forward to serving you!
This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2014 at 7:48 pm and is filed under Medical Dermatology, Skin Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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