Understanding what causes warts will help you to avoid getting them or passing them on. Warts can come in all different shapes and sizes. They are unsightly bumps on the skin and can appear almost anywhere on your body. Warts are very common especially amongst children and teenagers and fortunately are very rarely a cause for concern. Sometimes warts can be itchy or prone to bleeding. If you have any concerns about your wart it is always best to get it checked out by a doctor. There are many different types of wart and establishing which type you have will help you to understand how you got it and how to get rid of it.
HPV and warts.
No matter which type of wart you have it is caused by a virus. HPV or human papilloma virus has over 100 stains but not all of them cause warts. You may be familiar with this virus with regards to sexually transmitted diseases and its link to certain cervical cancers. However, you should not be alarmed because warts are non-cancerous. If you have warts on your genital area it is recommended that you get these checked by a doctor to ensure correct diagnosis. Given time many warts will clear up by themselves but often people are keen to speed up the process and seek wart removal treatment to help them clear up the wart, especially if it is visible or in an embarrassing place.
How are warts passed on?
So how do you get warts? HPV is a virus which is transported via either skin to skin contact or by touching a contaminated object or surface. The biggest problem is that a person may not know that they have the virus because the incubation period can last for 2 to 3 months and in some recorded cases as long as a year.
Warts on feet are commonly passed on in locker rooms or swimming pools where the virus can thrive in the warm, damp environment. Often you can go for months without even realising you have plantar wart (foot wart) unless you check the soles of your feet regularly or begin to feel pain.
What causes warts on hands and fingers? If you have a cut or a weakened immune system you may be more susceptible to picking up a wart. Your hands touch many objects throughout the day so it’s best to ensure that you have a good degree on cleanliness. Sharing grooming tools such as nail clippers or items of clothing such as gloves with an infected person may increase your risk of catching the virus and subsequent wart.
Facial warts are also highly contagious and their appearance can cause distress because they are prominent and not as easily hidden as warts on other parts of your body. Filliform warts have finger like flesh coloured projections which can make them even trickier to cover up. Flat warts can also appear on the face and are common in juveniles. Facial warts can be transferred by skin to skin contact and also by sharing razors, towels or other objects that you use to clean your face.
Genital warts can be passed between partners during sexual contact. It is worth being aware that male genital warts and vaginal warts can be transmitted even without having full penetrative sex. You can also transmit genital warts to the mouth through oral sex. Sexual contact should be avoided whilst the warts are present. A condom will not always reduce risk of transporting the virus because it may not cover the infected area.
Removal of Warts.
Whilst warts are rarely problematic often the visual impact of a wart can be very upsetting. Figuring out how to remove warts can become a top priority and there are many methods for wart removal. Once you have established the type of what you have you can focus on which wart treatment to use. There are over the counter treatments for many kinds of warts from salicylic acid to freezing treatments. If you are seeking a quick natural remedy for wart removal then you can buy homeopathic lotions which only use natural plant extract to eradicate the wart and are much kinder to your skin.
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Hygiene and Warts
Now that you understand what causes warts it is important to remember to keep high levels of cleanliness at all times because this will reduce your chances of being infected. Should you already have a wart then ensure you take appropriate precautions to avoid transporting it on to others.
