Do you or someone you know have a wart, and you’re wondering if it can be transferred from one person to another? Well, the short answer is yes.
Warts are not a pleasant issue to have, though they are generally not a serious condition. They may cause discomfort or embarrassment depending on their location, and they’re known to stick around for a few months or even years.
For these reasons, it’s important to take steps to reduce the risk of spread until you’ve arranged for wart removal.
Dealing with warts can be a tedious issue, but one that, in most cases, can be managed and prevented. Knowing that warts are contagious and understanding the ways you can aim to avoid them spreading can be advantageous. Contact the team at CBR Podiatry today if you have warts on your feet that you would like to have removed.
What are Warts?
Warts are growths that can develop on your skin or mucosa (such as the nostrils or mouth). They are benign and caused by the human papillomavirus. This virus has different strains, each of which causes different types of warts on different body regions.
Types of Warts
There are multiple variations of warts. They are diagnosed depending on your symptoms and the wart’s appearance and location (which can also determine the strain of the human papillomavirus that has caused the infection). All types of warts are contagious, and they’re common.
The types of warts that you may be exposed to include:
- Plantar warts
- Verrucca vulgaris (also known as common warts)
- Genital warts
- Flat warts
- Filiform warts
- Mosaic warts
- Focal epithelial hyperplasia (also known as Heck’s disease)
- Butcher’s warts
Wart Symptoms
The type of wart you have impacts what the wart may look like and how it feels. They can be about one millimetre in diameter or up to about two centimetres. There may be a single wart on your body, or there may be many.
Examples of symptoms that may be present include:
- Smooth texture
- Bumpy texture
- Flat
- Dome-shaped
- Pale, grey, black, or brown colouring
- Tiny brown or black spots within the wart
- A feeling like there is a pebble under your foot
- Tenderness
How do Warts Spread?
Warts can spread through direct contact. This means your skin touches the affected skin of someone who has a wart. Skin-to-skin contact does not guarantee the development of a wart, but it poses a significant risk of infection.
They can also be spread through indirect contact. This involves touching something that has been in contact with someone else’s wart. This may include items such as communal floors and used towels or socks.
Are Different Warts More Contagious?
All warts are contagious, although some may be easier to spread than others. This largely comes down to their location. Warts on the hands and feet may be more likely to spread due to more frequent contact with other people’s skin or surfaces than warts on the abdomen, for example.
Who is Likely to Develop Warts?
Anybody can be infected with the human papillomavirus. However, some people may be more susceptible than others. Factors that may increase your likelihood of developing a wart include:
- The presence of broken skin where the virus comes into contact
- Compromised or developing immune system (such as someone undergoing cancer treatment or a child)
- Poor hygiene
- Regular use of communal areas (such as public changing rooms and showers)
- Regular contact with raw meat
What to Do if You Have a Wart?
If you have developed a wart, understanding what type may help determine the form of treatment that is most appropriate. One of our experienced podiatrists can assess your wart and determine the type. They will undertake suitable intervention for warts on the lower limbs and feet. They will also provide education regarding wart prevention.
Common steps for wart removal include:
- Debriding the skin
- Applying salicylic acid
- Using liquid cryogen to freeze the wart
Once the wart is removed, there is no guarantee that a new wart will not appear in the same spot or somewhere else. This is because once you have been exposed to the virus, it remains in your body for some time. This is a big reason why prevention is so important.
Podiatry Care for Warts
If you are dealing with one or more warts, seeking professional guidance may help. Understanding the type and cause of your wart and undertaking a suitable treatment route may reduce the length of time the wart is present and lessen any discomfort. It may also reduce the chance of you passing the virus on to someone else.
Please contact our team to organise a consultation with a highly experienced and qualified podiatrist for comprehensive and holistic care.
