Almost all people discover a wart on their body at least once in their life or have several warts at once.
What are warts? Definition, causes, and occurrences
Even if the word warts is often associated with large, dark bumps on the skin, which typically characterize some villains known from films or books, the term stands for far more skin changes that can differ significantly in shape, color, and expression.
Usually, warts are small benign skin changes that appear in different forms and parts of the body (sometimes all over the body). As a rule, warts are caused by viruses (especially human papillomaviruses, HPV for short) or due to infections, whereby the pathogens occur via smear infections or contact.
Infections from person to person (e.g., when shaking hands or during sexual intercourse) or via external carriers (e.g., damp floors in the sauna, swimming pool, or objects such as towels). As a result, minor injuries in the skin or the mucous membranes infect the upper layer of the skin, and the skin can grow. Thus, the question of whether warts are contagious can be answered with a clear “yes.” However, it is interesting.
Age warts arising from age spots, on the formation of which viruses have no influence, are an exception. These are probably based on the natural aging of the skin and an overall high level of exposure to UV rays.
Occurrence and causes of warts: who does it affect?
Every year up to 750,000 people in Germany contract a viral infection that can cause warts. Warts, in particular, often affect children and adolescents. However, not everyone who becomes infected with the corresponding virus will develop warts:
Warts often occur primarily in people who sweat quickly, often have damp hands or feet, and do not wear breathable clothing.
In addition, the risk of developing warts is significantly higher in children and adolescents whose immune systems have not yet come into contact with the pathogens causing warts. But all other people who have a weak immune system or whose skin is irritated by diseases such as neurodermatitis, for example, can be more often affected by warts. In many cases, an unhealthy lifestyle (e.g., smoking) is also responsible for the development of warts.
Do warts cause pain?
Most warts are benign skin changes that do not cause pain and regress on their own so that no special treatment by a doctor is necessary. However, it is advisable to treat viral warts to avoid infection. In some cases, a wart can cause very severe pain that requires urgent treatment. Read more about this below.
Typical spots for warts
The places where warts appear depends on the type and cause of the wart. For example, warts can develop on the arms, on the forehead, on the cheeks, in the mouth area, on the feet, on the hands, and in the genital area and can develop individually or in small groups.
What types of warts are there?
Warts come in a variety of forms. We have listed the most common types of warts below to get the best possible overview.
Barbed warts (vulgar warts)
The barbed wart, also known as the vulgar wart, mainly occurs in children or adolescents. But adults who have circulatory disorders or sweat very often suffer from wart formation. The barbed wart typically appears on the nails, fingers, or face. The wart is tiny at first, but over time, pea-sized, very hard nodules form.
The barbed wart, also known as the vulgar wart, mainly occurs in children or adolescents. But adults who have circulatory disorders or sweat very often suffer from wart formation. The barbed wart typically appears on the nails, fingers, or face. The wart is tiny at first, but over time, pea-sized, very hard nodules form. These nodules take on a rough, calloused shape. This type of wart can spread in small groups all over the body by scratching the skin. The barbed wart also occurs when the immune system is weakened. Anyone suffering from neurodermatitis can cause the wart to spread over the whole body due to the intense itching.
Genital wart
The genital wart often forms in the genital area, mucous membranes, or moist, warm skin folds. This type of wart can be transmitted to the partner during sexual intercourse. The genital wart occurs, among other things, in cases of vaginal inflammation, intestinal inflammation, urethritis, worm infestation, or narrowing of the foreskin. But this type of warts can also be involved in cervical cancer and promote the development of this type of cancer. The genital wart is also called the genital wart and occurs locally—a flesh-colored nodule forms in the anal area or on the genital organs. By taking the birth control pill, genital warts can be promoted. If the genital wart is infected with bacteria or fungi, it can be very itchy.
How do you get rid of warts? Tips, Natural Home Remedies, and Treatment
Most warts will go away on their own, but it can also be a good idea to fight warts yourself or have a doctor remove them. In the following, we will reveal various tips and natural home remedies that you can use to remove warts quickly and show you different treatment options.
Home remedies for wart
Remove warts with apple cider vinegar.
It is often recommended to treat warts with apple cider vinegar. To do this, apple cider vinegar is applied to a cotton pad up to twice a day, rubbed into the wart, and then masked off with a plaster. This should cause the wart to peel off and disappear after a while.
Treat warts with garlic
Garlic is also said to be good for wart. To do this, the wart should be rubbed with freshly cut garlic for several weeks. In addition, a thin slice of garlic can be tied to the wart overnight with a band-aid so that the juice from the garlic clove can penetrate the wart and fight the viruses.
Remove wart with tape
A common home remedy for warts is duct tape. What sounds unusual, is: The wart is masked off with a small piece of adhesive tape for just under for a week. Leaving the tape on the skin will soak the wart. The top layer can then be removed relatively easily with a pumice stone or a file. Treated like this, the wart disappears by itself after a while – without any pain!
Prevention of wart
There are a few tips you can follow to avoid transmission of the HPV virus and prevent warts from developing.
- Wash your hands regularly! So, wash your hands regularly and maintain good physical hygiene. Wash your hands carefully, especially after touching warts on your feet or other parts of your body.
- Dry off well! Always dry your hands and feet well after washing, showering, bathing, and after visiting the sauna or swimming pool. If you ensure that your skin is dry (not dried out!) From head to toe, you reduce the likelihood of developing types of warts, which tend to develop in a moist environment.
- Take care of your skin! By regularly caring for your skin and supplying it with valuable moisture using suitable creams or lotions, you can prevent the skin from drying out and cracking. In this way, you reduce the risk of viruses getting into the skin and causing wart.
Bottom Line
- No walking barefoot in public places! Whenever possible, avoid walking barefoot in public places such as swimming pools, gyms, saunas, or changing rooms. Instead, always protect your feet with sandals, flip-flops, or rubber shoes to prevent virus transmission.
- Own clothes, shoes, and cosmetics! Do not wear other people’s clothes or shoes and only use your own cosmetics and personal care products. Another person’s clothing, cosmetics, and toiletries could contain viruses that can spread to you and develop wart as a result.
- Stay Active and Eat Healthily! Pay attention to your physical fitness, exercise regularly, and spend a lot of time outdoors in the fresh air. You should also eat healthily and make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals to strengthen your immune system. A strong immune system is the best protection against the unwanted wart.
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