Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon WartFlat WartPlantar WartGenital Wart on the VaginaGenital Wart on the PenisFiliform WartPeriungual WartCancerous WartsPreventionWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Wart
Flat Wart
Plantar Wart
Genital Wart on the Vagina
Genital Wart on the Penis
Filiform Wart
Periungual Wart
Cancerous Warts
Prevention
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Pictures of the different types of warts can make it easier to identify them, or to recognize that a sore or lesion is not a wart but another type of skin issue.Wartsare benign or noncancerous fleshy growths on the skin that can appear on any part of the body.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photodamiangretka / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Common warts are the standard type of wart that is found as lumps of skin on fingers, toes, knees, and other parts of the body. They also haverough, pebble-textured surfaces.
Warts can appear anywhere on the body. But they are most common on the backs of the hands and on fingers near the nails. Common warts often grow in areas where the skin has been broken.
Sometimes common warts are called “seed” warts because they are sprinkled with black dots that look like seeds. These actually are tinyblood clots.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Phototomczykbartek / Getty Images
tomczykbartek / Getty Images
Smaller and smoother than other warts,flat wartsare slightly raised. They’re the color of skin or brownish-yellow in color. These types of warts appear in clusters of a few dozen to a hundred.
They typically occur in children and young adults, on the forehead and cheeks. Up to 78% will resolve on their own within two years, but others require treatment.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNet dermnetnz.org 2023
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet dermnetnz.org 2023
Plantar wartsget their name because they appear on the soles of the feet. They have a rough texture that causes them to resemblecallusesor corns rather than warts.
Of all warts, plantar warts are the one type that can be painful.They’re often tender and can cause discomfort when standing or walking. Multiple plantar warts that grow in clusters are called mosaic warts. Plantar warts can be difficult to treat.
This type of wart also can develop on the palms of the hands. When this occurs, they’re called palmar warts.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoRoman Didkivskyi / Getty Images
Roman Didkivskyi / Getty Images
Genital wartsin females most commonly develop on the labia and near the opening of the vagina. Pink, soft, and slightly raised, genital warts can vary in size and develop as clusters.
Symptoms of genital warts in females may include:
Genital warts, also known ascondylomata acuminata, are among the most commonsexually transmitted infections(STI). About one in 100 sexually active adults in the U.S. has genital warts at any given time.
Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps. They can be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. The warts may go away, stay the same, or grow in size or number.
Genital warts in males develop most often on:
Genital warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person. Symptoms of genital warts in males may include itching, but most of the time they don’t hurt.
Filiformwarts look unusual. They arelong, narrow columns of flesh that stick out of the skin. Filiform warts most often appear on the face, especially around the eyes, nose, and lips. They do not appear in clusters.
Despite their appearance, filiform warts are harmless. These kinds of warts usually disappear without treatment.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photohelovi / Getty Images
helovi / Getty Images
Although they’re usually benign, in very rare cases warts have been known to develop into a very slow-growing cancer calledverrucous carcinoma. This type of cancer can grow to a large size but does not metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body.Treatment includes surgically removing the warts.
All warts are highly contagious. They can easily spread from one part of the body to another and from one person to another. They also can recur, since a wart can be removed but the HPV virus itself does not.
To reduce the chance of getting warts:
Keep in mind that certain groups may be at higher risk for warts, including older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
In many cases, a wart can be treated at home or will go away on its own. That doesn’t always happen, so it may be important to see a healthcare provider. Warts can usually be diagnosed with a visual inspection, although additional tests (like a biopsy) may be needed.
If your wart requires treatment, the options can include:
Be sure to call your healthcare provider if your symptoms include skin damage that’s spreading or a site that’s bleeding. If you have a skin lesion that recently has changed, get a diagnosis.
Summary
Warts are extremely contagious. You can pass warts on to other people through skin-to-skin contact. In extremely rare cases, some warts can develop into a slow-growing cancer called verrucous carcinoma. It’s important to see your healthcare provider if you have a wart that bothers you or doesn’t go away.
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11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kore VB, Anjankar A.A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Approaches for Cutaneous and Genital Warts.Cureus. 2023 Oct 25;15(10):e47685. doi:10.7759/cureus.47685Yale Medicine.HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Signs and Symptoms.Zhang W, Jin Z, Gao T, Fan L, Wang W, Zeng X,et al.Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for recalcitrant facial flat warts.Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 Feb;45:103934. doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2023.103934Gharib K, Taha A, Elradi M.Intralesional acyclovir versus intralesional Hepatitis-B vaccine in treatment of resistant plantar warts: a randomized controlled trial.Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 1;316(6):325. doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03001-4Planned Parenthood.What are the symptoms of genital warts?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection - basic fact sheet.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and men - fact sheet.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Warts in children.Campaner AB, Cardoso FA, Fernandes GL, Veasey JV.Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva: diagnosis and treatment.An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92(2):243-245. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20174929American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Overview.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kore VB, Anjankar A.A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Approaches for Cutaneous and Genital Warts.Cureus. 2023 Oct 25;15(10):e47685. doi:10.7759/cureus.47685Yale Medicine.HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Signs and Symptoms.Zhang W, Jin Z, Gao T, Fan L, Wang W, Zeng X,et al.Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for recalcitrant facial flat warts.Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 Feb;45:103934. doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2023.103934Gharib K, Taha A, Elradi M.Intralesional acyclovir versus intralesional Hepatitis-B vaccine in treatment of resistant plantar warts: a randomized controlled trial.Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 1;316(6):325. doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03001-4Planned Parenthood.What are the symptoms of genital warts?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection - basic fact sheet.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and men - fact sheet.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Warts in children.Campaner AB, Cardoso FA, Fernandes GL, Veasey JV.Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva: diagnosis and treatment.An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92(2):243-245. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20174929American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Overview.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kore VB, Anjankar A.A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Approaches for Cutaneous and Genital Warts.Cureus. 2023 Oct 25;15(10):e47685. doi:10.7759/cureus.47685Yale Medicine.HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Overview.American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Signs and Symptoms.Zhang W, Jin Z, Gao T, Fan L, Wang W, Zeng X,et al.Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for recalcitrant facial flat warts.Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 Feb;45:103934. doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2023.103934Gharib K, Taha A, Elradi M.Intralesional acyclovir versus intralesional Hepatitis-B vaccine in treatment of resistant plantar warts: a randomized controlled trial.Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 1;316(6):325. doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03001-4Planned Parenthood.What are the symptoms of genital warts?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection - basic fact sheet.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and men - fact sheet.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Warts in children.Campaner AB, Cardoso FA, Fernandes GL, Veasey JV.Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva: diagnosis and treatment.An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92(2):243-245. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20174929American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Overview.
Kore VB, Anjankar A.A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Approaches for Cutaneous and Genital Warts.Cureus. 2023 Oct 25;15(10):e47685. doi:10.7759/cureus.47685
Yale Medicine.HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Overview.
American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Signs and Symptoms.
Zhang W, Jin Z, Gao T, Fan L, Wang W, Zeng X,et al.Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for recalcitrant facial flat warts.Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 Feb;45:103934. doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2023.103934
Gharib K, Taha A, Elradi M.Intralesional acyclovir versus intralesional Hepatitis-B vaccine in treatment of resistant plantar warts: a randomized controlled trial.Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 1;316(6):325. doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03001-4
Planned Parenthood.What are the symptoms of genital warts?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital HPV infection - basic fact sheet.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and men - fact sheet.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Warts in children.
Campaner AB, Cardoso FA, Fernandes GL, Veasey JV.Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva: diagnosis and treatment.An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92(2):243-245. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20174929
American Academy of Dermatology.Warts: Overview.
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