Warts explained in a nutshell – and how to treat them
Warts can be a minor inconvenience or a discomfort and embarrassment. Here is a summary of essential information.
They spread from person to person contact and are most contagious during the summer months, as they thrive in warm, moist environments such as swimming pools, change rooms, school playgrounds and gyms. Common warts can be an irritation to deal with, which is why you want to treat them early on to prevent them from spreading.
What are warts?
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus which causes warts. While it mostly affects children and teenagers, people of any age can get them.
What types of warts are there?
These fleshy skin growths often have a rough surface, are greyish-yellow or brown and are found on the fingers, elbows, knees, or the face.
- Filiform warts are small, long, narrow growths with finger-like projections that often appear on eyelids, lips, face, or neck.
- Flat warts are small, smooth growths that tend to form in clusters on the face, back of the hands, or legs.
- Periungual warts appear as thickened skin around the nails and can cause painful splits in the skin.
- Plantar and palmar warts are warts on the soles of the feet (plantar) or the palms of the hands (palmar). Standing or walking exerts pressure and makes the warts hurt.
- Mosaic warts are palmer or planter warts which form in clusters.
How to treat warts:
Warts do go away over time, but it can take a few years for them to fall off naturally, so it is best to treat warts early and before they spread. There are many different ‘old wives’ wart treatments and these range in effectiveness and many of them are medically unproven. Home remedies include everything from clear nail polish and duct tape to sliced garlic, oil, and raw potato. Warts can also be removed by a doctor or skin specialist but this is an expensive option and not always a permanent solution. There can be some scarring.
Our go-to, tried-and-tested at-home solution for common wart removal is Kroko WartFix. This flexible liquid application forms a waterproof covering over the wart. Apply WartFix directly to the wart, not the surrounding skin and keep reapplying it twice a day until the wart falls off which can take up to two weeks. Follow the on-pack directions for best results and take care to protect the healthy skin around the wart, as directed.
If you are unsure about your wart or concerned in any way, please seek the advice of a medical professional.
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