Warts:

What are warts: Warts are benign proliferative skin lesions caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) in skin cells. They can occur at any age in humans. Warts are usually painless, but some types, especially those on the soles of the feet, can be painful. Human papillomavirus can be classified into high-risk and low-risk types based on their potential to cause cancer, but skin warts (non-genital warts) are common, benign, and self-limiting.
When the virus infects skin cells, they start to proliferate, leading to the appearance of bubbles on the skin. The appearance of these bubbles depends on the virus type and the location of the infection. There are more than 100 types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Types of skin warts:

Skin warts can affect any area of the skin, but common areas include the hands and feet. Types of warts include:
1- Common warts: These warts appear mainly on the hands as rough, skin-colored bumps with a rough surface (verrucae). They can also appear on the fingers and around the nails. They are more common in people who bite their nails and may contain black dots resembling seeds, hence called seed warts.
2- Plantar warts: These warts appear on the soles of the feet and are very thick, hence called plantar warts. They may grow in clusters, known as mosaic warts. Due to walking and pressure, plantar warts can be flat or may be inwardly inverted and may contain black dots.
3- Flat warts: These warts appear on the hands and legs, with a skin-colored or light brown color. They can also be seen on the face and forehead. They can grow anywhere on the body and may grow in large numbers from 20 to 100 warts at once.
4- Filiform warts: These warts resemble thin threads or fingers protruding from the skin. They usually grow on the face, around the mouth, and eyes and tend to grow quickly.
5- Genital warts: Transmitted through sexual contact, genital warts appear in the genital area, are highly infectious, and more dangerous than other types. They may cause serious tumors.

Causes of warts:

Warts are caused by infection with human papillomavirus, of which there are more than 100 types. Warts can affect any part of the body, including mucous membranes, genitalia, mouth, and anus. The most common types affect the skin of hands, fingers, and feet. Some individuals may have greater resistance to human papillomavirus than others. Children and teenagers are more likely to be infected with human papillomavirus, and those with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to warts. The virus tends to infect delicate areas of the skin, such as cuts, which is why we see repeated infections in children or young adults on their faces (shaving areas), leading to the spread of warts to other parts of the body through contact. Warts may take months to become large enough.

How to diagnose skin warts:

Only a doctor can diagnose warts by visual inspection. In some cases, the doctor may scrape the wart and examine it to look for thrombosed blood vessels, which are common in certain types of warts. Your doctor may also send a sample of the wart to the lab for examination, which is a completely safe procedure that should not cause any concern.

Can you prevent getting warts?

It is possible to prevent some types of warts. However, there are types of warts that can occur naturally. Warts can be transmitted by touch, and you can avoid these types by avoiding contact with infected individuals, using towels or objects used by infected individuals. Genital warts are also highly infectious, so it is important to take necessary precautions when one partner is infected. Warts can grow inside the cervix and deep inside the vagina without the person knowing.

Treatment of warts:

Most warts resolve on their own within months, while some may persist longer. Some warts do not disappear on their own and require treatment, especially in adults. Treatment may also be necessary to prevent the spread of warts to other areas of the body and reduce infection transmission to others.

For warts on the skin:

1- Treatment with salicylic acid: This acid is used daily to remove warts on the skin of hands, feet, and other skin areas. The area should be cleaned well before applying the acid. Salicylic acid works best when the skin is moist. It is used for weeks according to the doctor's prescription. It is also important to regularly remove dead skin from the surface of the warts.
2- Application of cantharidin: A dermatologist applies the chemical cantharidin on the warts. It is usually not painful, but some discomfort and blistering may occur after the procedure. After about a week, you may need to