Causes of warts

Information on Warts

Warts are certain types of non-cancerous skin growths which are triggered by the so called human papilloma virus. It actually speeds up the production of a hard protein called keratin at the top layers of the skin. Warts can be described as small, rough, skin colored lumps and they usually occur on the feet and the hands.

The location of a wart on the human body greatly affects its appearance and its thickness. Different types of warts exist. The common warts can be easily recognized by a rough surface and they are medically referred to as the verruca vulgaris. Their surface may resemble a cauliflower, they are a bit raised from the surface and quite firm on the touch.

These thickened bumps can appear virtually anywhere on the human body but the most common areas for these types of warts are knuckles, knees, elbows and fingers. Sometimes, they can also be characterized by small dark spots which are actually clotted blood vessels. Plantar warts usually occur at the soles of the feet but there are also cases when they can appear on toes and the heel. The weight of the person pushes the verrucas to grow deeper into the skin and in some cases they can be rather painful.

Verrucas almost always have a black dot in the center and once again, as is the case with common warts, it is actually a clotted blood vessel. Plane or flat warts are medically referred to as verruca plana.

They are characterized by round, flat shape and they are actually smooth to the touch. Their color may resemble the color of the surrounding skin area or it may be more brownish or yellowish. The common areas on the human body for these types of warts are legs, hands and the face. Filiform warts are medically referred to as verruca filiformis.

These are usually located on the neck, armpits and eyelids and they are characterized by their elongated shape. Mosaic warts are characterized by growing in clusters. Warts usually do not require any medical treatment because they gradually disappear on their own. Warts that involve pain and bleeding should be treated medically.

Causes of Warts

The main cause of all warts is the human papilloma virus which can be passed by direct skin contact or by indirect contact via shoes or towels. Genital warts are actually much more contagious than their ordinary counterparts.