Are Warts Contagious?

Many conditions affect the skin, and the problems can be acute (short-term), intermittent (come and go), or chronic (long-term). These conditions include acne, rosacea, psoriasis, dermatitis, hives, cold sores, and dry skin. More severe illnesses like skin cancer can have lasting effects on the skin and be dangerous if they become malignant. 

Some skin illnesses, such as warts, are caused by viruses, and unlike many of the problems mentioned, can infect other people. Let’s discover more about how warts affect you, how they can spread to others, and what can be done to manage them.

Drs. Walter Williams and Lindsey Goddard, and the experienced staff of the Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center, treat a wide array of skin diseases and conditions, including warts.

Understanding warts

This common, noncancerous skin illness, which affects 10% of the global population and is more common among children, causes growths to develop on your skin and soft tissue (mucosa). Though not dangerous and generally not harmful, warts come in many types and can cause unpleasant symptoms:

• Common warts: rough bumps appearing on hands, commonly with black dots

• Plantar warts: growths that develop on your soles, which become painful and can affect walking

• Flat warts: smoother warts that can grow anywhere on the body

• Mosaic warts: form under your toes or the balls of your feet, but rarely hurt

• Filiform warts: growths that resemble long threads, typically on your face

• Genital warts: a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that develops around the genitals and rectum

• Butcher’s warts: named for people who frequently handle raw meat, leading to growths on the hands

• Heck’s disease: a rare type that grows in your mouth, which can be soft and whitish

How they spread

All forms of warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), with over 100 types of this condition causing the multiple forms in which it appears. Warts spread through direct or indirect contact, including skin-to-skin contact or contact with objects that people with warts have touched. 

It’s more likely to happen in soft, moist areas of skin, as well as damaged or immunocompromised skin. Additionally, while all warts develop from HPV, not every type of this virus causes warts.

Treatment options

Caring for warts requires treatments that vary based on the type, and include several options:

Over-the-counter and home remedies

Many store-bought treatments contain salicylic acid, which dissolves warts layer by layer, applied as patches, gels, and liquids. Vinegar is used at home for its acidic properties to dissolve warts, and even duct tape has shown results when covering the wart, soaking it for days, and then removing it.

Freezing

Concentrations of cold air can be bought in a store or applied through cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen). Several treatments may be necessary to remove them completely.

Topical treatment

Medicated ointments containing chemicals that cut off the wart’s blood supply can help remove it.

Surgery

Cutting away warts with a surgical knife, electrosurgery, or laser treatment eliminates warts.

All types of warts are contagious, as they all stem from some form of HPV, which is contagious. However, they aren’t cancerous; they may have symptoms that cause discomfort, and they can be treated. Schedule your appointment with Drs. Williams, Goddard, and their team at  Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center to find the best solutions for treating your warts.