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Las verrugas son lesiones de la piel comunes e inofensivas causadas por el virus del papiloma humano (HPV, por sus siglas en inglés). Existen diferentes tipos de verrugas, incluidas las comunes, plantares, en mosaico, planas, filiformes, genitales, del carnicero (Butcher’s wart) o hiperplasia epitelial focal (enfermedad de Heck).

Tipos de verrugas

  • Verrugas comunes—Estas suelen aparecer en las manos y son ásperas al tacto. También podrían tener puntos negros en medio.
  • Verrugas plantares—Estas suelen aparecer en los pies y son planas. También pueden tener puntos negros.
  • Verrugas en mosaico—Suelen aparecer en los pies o dedos de los pies. Son blancas y planas.
  • Verrugas planas—Estas pueden aparecer en cualquier parte del cuerpo y son más pequeñas y lisas. Muchas verrugas planas suelen aparecer en racimos.
  • Verrugas filiformes—Estas suelen aparecer en la cara y se asemejan a un dedo meñique.
  • Verrugas genitales—Estas suelen aparecer en los genitales y el recto. Son pequeñas y duras.
  • Verrugas del carnicero—Estas suelen aparecer en las manos, específicamente en carniceros o personas que manejan carne cruda. Generalmente tienen un aspecto abultado y tienden a ser numerosas.
  • Hiperplasia epitelial focal (enfermedad de Heck)— Estas suelen aparecer en la boca y generalmente son suaves y blancas.

¿Qué causa las verrugas?

  • Shoes that crowd the toes, especially those with a narrow, pointed toe or high heels
  • Inherited foot structure, such as flat feet, low arches, or loose joints and tendons, can make a person more prone to developing a bunion
  • Health conditions that involve the immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Foot injuries

Wart Treatment

Treatment for warts can vary. Some warts may go away on their own over time, while others may need to be surgically removed. It is generally recommended to treat warts rather than let them go away on their own in order to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

There are some at-home treatments that you can try to get rid of warts. Some of these wart treatments include:

  • Using concentrated salicylic acid, which can be bought over the counter.
  • Covering the wart with duct tape to deprive it of oxygen, preventing its growth.
  • Freezing the wart. This is usually done by a health care provider using liquid nitrogen.
  • Topical ointments.
  • Wart removal surgery uses cautery to burn the wart off. A health care provider does this with a cauterizing tool.

Your primary care provider can likely give you some topical ointments and creams to try at home before needing to take the next steps of seeing a dermatologist. If you are looking for a specialized wart removal doctor near you, get started with Wellmed’s network. A dermatologist can perform wart removal surgery and provide other services like skin cancer screening.

Frequently Asked Questions About Warts

Are warts bad?

No, warts are not bad, but they require some treatment or intervention so the virus does not spread. The sooner you seek treatment, the more likely it is that you won’t get more warts in the future. They are treatable and not harmful. However, warts can be cumbersome and can feel embarrassing. If you get a wart, there is nothing that you did wrong. Many people get warts for different reasons.

Are warts contagious?

Yes, warts are contagious because HPV is contagious. If you come into contact with someone with warts, you may also develop them. If you use the same towel or razor as someone with warts, you can develop warts. For this reason, it is best to avoid touching warts or sharing surfaces with people who could be affected. Keeping your skin moisturized can help protect against getting warts, as it prevents dry, cracked skin, which can be easier for the virus to enter.

Do warts grow back?

The short answer is yes, they can grow back if the HPV virus is still present in the body. In addition, if the wart is not entirely removed, you can become reinfected with HPV, and/or if you have a compromised immune system, you may be at a greater risk of having warts reappear. The good news is that if you are having follow-up care with your health care provider, they can monitor you to ensure that the warts completely go away.

Related resources

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