Skin Warts: Causes, Care, and Treatment

A common wart may feel firm and rough, with interrupted skin lines or tiny dark points. Warts on the sole can be pressed inward and hurt when walking. Flat warts may be smoother and occur in groups, while lesions near a nail can affect nail growth. A corn, callus, molluscum lesion, or another skin growth can resemble a wart, so bleeding, rapid change, unusual colour, or uncertainty warrants an examination.

Keep warts covered when practical, wash hands after touching them, and do not bite, pick, shave, or file them with tools used elsewhere. Avoid sharing towels, footwear, razors, and nail equipment. Wear footwear in communal wet areas and keep feet dry. If treatment is needed, options may include Imiquimod Treatment, Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal), Electrosurgery, or Wart Removal, depending on the site and diagnosis.

See a clinician when a lesion is painful, repeatedly damaged, spreading, bleeding, or interfering with walking or hand use. Seek advice before treating a lesion on the face, genitals, or beside a nail. People with diabetes, reduced circulation, reduced sensation, or weakened immunity should avoid self-treatment and obtain personalised guidance. Redness, warmth, pus, or fever may indicate infection and needs prompt review.

Does this growth have the typical features of a wart? Which treatment fits its location? How can I protect nearby skin and household members? What changes should prompt a follow-up visit?