Warts
Updated · SkinWise Clinic
Warts are skin growths caused by human papillomavirus. Appearance and treatment differ by location and type. Some resolve without treatment; others persist or recur. Assessment helps distinguish a wart from a different lesion and balance treatment benefit against discomfort and skin damage.
Warts can affect the hands, feet and other sites. Lesions around nails, on the face or in the genital area need site-specific advice.
Avoid picking or shaving through lesions because this can spread infection or injure surrounding skin.
Types of warts
- Rough or flat growths depending on the type
- Pain with pressure in some plantar lesions
- Growths around nails or in clusters
How warts spread
- Human papillomavirus infection
- Skin contact or spread to another site
- Immune status can affect persistence or extent
When to see a dermatologist
Arrange assessment for pain, spreading lesions, uncertain diagnosis or a lesion in a sensitive site. People with impaired immunity need individual advice.
How warts is treated at SkinWise
Options may include observation, suitable topical treatment, freezing or other selected methods. Choice depends on site, age, symptoms and previous response. Recurrence and pigment or scar changes are possible; fixed session counts should not be promised.
Services that treat warts
Evidence behind these choices
- Cutaneous warts: clinical guideline (2022)
Treatment varies with wart type, site and previous response. Recurrence and adverse effects must be considered; a fixed number of sessions is not a clearance guarantee.
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Frequently asked questions
Will one session clear them?
It may not. Response varies, and repeat treatment or a change of plan can be needed.
Can I use a hand-wart product on the face or genitals?
No. Those areas need appropriate clinical assessment and site-specific care.
Do warts mean my immunity is poor?
Healthy people can get warts. The pattern and broader medical history guide whether further investigation is useful.
Ready to start with a consult?
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