What should you know about nail wart?

Warts are caused by a skin virus and may appear as a firm, uneven bump beside the nail or beneath its free edge. A wart near the nail can push against the nail plate, creating ridges, splitting, tenderness, or altered growth. Picking, biting, or cutting it can irritate the surrounding skin and spread the virus to nearby areas.

A dark mark, persistent swelling, drainage, or a rapidly changing lesion may have another cause, so appearance alone cannot confirm a wart. A clinician can examine the growth and the nail fold before choosing treatment.

Keep the area clean and dry, avoid biting the nail, and do not share nail tools, towels, or footwear. Protect nearby skin from friction and avoid home cutting or burning, particularly when the growth is under the nail. Treatment depends on its depth, location, nail changes, and previous treatment. Options may include clinician-directed freezing, topical treatment, or removal procedures such as cryotherapy, electrosurgery, or wart removal.

Do not apply a wart product to broken skin without professional advice. A dermatologist can explain whether [Imiquimod Treatment](/treatments/medical-dermatology/imiquimod-therapy/) or another approach suits the site.

Arrange an assessment if the growth is under the nail, causes ongoing pain, changes the nail, returns after treatment, or does not improve. Seek prompt care for spreading redness, warmth, pus, fever, marked swelling, or a dark area that changes or extends into the surrounding skin.

Ask whether the lesion is consistent with a wart, whether the nail matrix is involved, and which treatment protects nail growth. Ask how to reduce spread, what healing changes to expect, and when a follow-up examination is needed.