Warts is such a common skin disorder that a majority of the people are affected by it at least once in their lifetime. This complication usually does not require warts treatment and cures itself in a certain period of time although exceptional cases are always there. A virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for causing warts. This problem can appear in any part of the body, especially in those areas which remain moistened thus providing favorable environment for virus to flourish. A majority of warts do not cause any pain but those occurred on the soles really hurts. As compared to elders and older, warts usually occur in kids. In many cases, warts reappear and can persist for longer period.

Symptoms

Warts appear in the body in the form of bumps and can be white or pinkish in color. They are coarse when touched. Most commonly, warts occur in the exposed or moist parts of the body. Warts can be subdivided into three parts according to their appearance like planter warts that aim the soles, genital warts that grow in genital area and flat warts that can be seen on the face and legs.

Causes

Any individual can get infected by warts owing to human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts are communicable and the virus can transmit from human to human or from object to human. However, it depends upon the immunity of an individual whether he/she would be infected by the virus or not. Therefore, it is not necessary that everyone can catch warts from others. But if your sexual partner is infected by warts in genital areas, the virus is more likely to transfer in your body. Similarly, if you use or share the towel or bed sheet of an infected person, you may have warts. Another cause can be cuts and bruises on your skin that can cause diffusion of warts in your body.

Treatment

Since most warts are harmless, they do not require doctor’s prescription for treatment and usually get cured itself in 6-8 months. But some specific cases may take as long as two years to be cured. There are treatment methods that you can apply at your home without taking doctor’s prescription. It is easier to remove specific types of warts than the common ones which in spite of proper treatment does not cure completely and tend to reappear frequently. Some people always have warts because of their susceptibility.

Still, people prefer treatment of warts to avoid embarrassment and improve their looks. When you go to the doctor, he will decide which treatment technique would suit you according to the severity of the disorder. If any child is infected by warts, then the doctor will prefer the most easy and painless methods to remove the complication. One such method is cryosurgery in which liquid nitrogen is used to remove warts. However, this treatment does not remove all the warts in one go and therefore should be repeated for better result. This treatment also causes side effects like formation of blisters in affected areas but they heal after sometime.

Another effective and painless method can be application of canthardin, a content taken out of meloid, blended with some specific chemicals on the warts. The affected areas are then wrapped up with dressing. After sometimes, blisters will form in the affected areas picking up the warts from the skin so that they could be sloughed off easily.

Warts can also be removed through laser therapy but the method is not only costly but also produce side effect in the form of scar after the treatment. A surgical method can also be applied in which warts are cut and taken out with the help of curette through electrodessication.

Prevention

Don’t scratch or shave the affected areas because this might help in diffusion of the complication in the other parts of the body. This is one of the effective way to removing warts.

Those having warts close to their nails should avoid the habit of biting nail.

Use a good soap to clean your hands if you have touched the affected areas. This is one of the best way to get rid of warts.

Since moisture favors multiplication of virus, it is advisable to keep yourself dry.

Do not wear tight fitting clothes that may hamper proper evaporation of perspirations.