Wart Care

> ⚠️ Ask your doctor or health care professional. This information is AI generated for education and NOT medical advice.

Warts are small, usually harmless skin growths caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the skin, spreading through direct contact or contact with contaminated surfaces.

Common symptoms

Small, rough or smooth raised bumps on the skin, sometimes with tiny black dots (clotted blood vessels), commonly on hands, feet (plantar warts), or other skin areas.

General self-care measures

• Use over-the-counter treatments (such as salicylic acid) as directed, applied consistently over several weeks, since warts often take time to resolve.
• Keep the area covered to reduce spreading to other skin areas or other people.
• Avoid picking or scratching warts, which can spread the virus to other skin.
• Avoid sharing towels, razors, or shoes (especially for plantar warts) while a wart is present.

When to seek medical attention

• Warts that don't respond to over-the-counter treatment after several weeks.
• Warts that are painful, bleeding, changing in appearance, or numerous.
• Genital warts specifically (a distinct HPV presentation, best managed by a healthcare professional rather than general skin-wart treatment).
• Warts in someone with diabetes or a weakened immune system, or on the face.

Common pitfalls

• Expecting rapid resolution — over-the-counter wart treatments often need weeks of consistent use; giving up after a few days usually means not seeing the benefit.
• Picking at or shaving over a wart — this can spread the virus to new skin areas rather than resolving the original wart.
• Treating genital warts with general skin-wart products — genital warts need specific medical evaluation and treatment, not the same over-the-counter approach as common hand or foot warts.

Learn more

• Dermatology Assessment for related skin-condition assessment.
• Health Care for general navigation of health systems.