Wart is one of those words that sounds like what it is. Its small, ugly and not the kind of thing you want to tell anyone about. But you can talk to Mister Private about anything. So lets talk about warts. A wart is a small bump on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) that infects the top layer of skin cells. This virus is contracted and lies dormant in the body. Periodically the virus will infect layers of the skin, causing a rapid growth of cells, resulting in a wart. A wart spreads from person to person by touching a towel or object used by the infected person. Sometimes an individual will catch HPV but it wont develop into warts. Removing the wart does not remove the virus from the body but it does remove the unsightly growth and can reduce the physical and emotional discomfort.

Common warts occur on the fingers, back of hands, arms, top of feet and other areas of the body. They are usually free of pain. Common warts occur in people of all ages. They are small, flesh- or white-colored, rough bumps. Plantar warts occur on the bottom of the feet. You can get them from walking around barefoot especially in public places. They are spotted in appearance due to blood vessels that have become clotted within the wart. Plantar warts can be painful and can swell.

Warts can be treated with an over-the counter-treatment that contains salicylic acid. These treatments come in a liquid like Compound W or Dr. Scholls wart pads. The liquids are convenient for all areas. The pads, which are similar to a band-aid, are nice for fingers and toes. A doctor can also remove a wart using a number of simple surgical procedures. He may use liquid nitrogen to freeze off the wart. It isnt very painful and does require multiple treatments. He may use Cantharidin to turn the wart into a blister. The procedure isnt painful, but the blister can be; however thats what kills the wart. The doctor might also suggest minor surgery or laser surgery. If you have an especially bad case of warts, the doctor may propose immunotherapy, Bleomycin injections or a retinoid cream.