Wart

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Common warts are small, grainy skin growths that occur most often on  your fingers or hands. Rough to the touch, common warts also often  feature a pattern of tiny black dots, which are small, clotted blood  vessels.

Common warts are caused by a virus and are transmitted by touch.  It can take a wart as long as two to six months to develop after your skin has been exposed to the virus. Common warts are usually harmless and  eventually disappear on their own, but many people choose to remove them  because they find them bothersome or embarrassing.

Common warts usually occur on your fingers or hands and may be:

• Small, fleshy, grainy bumps
• Flesh-colored, white, pink or tan
• Rough to the touch
• Sprinkled with black pinpoints, which are small, clotted blood vessels

See your doctor for common warts if:

• The growths are painful or change in appearance or color
• You've tried treating the warts, but they persist, spread or recur
• The growths are bothersome and interfere with activities
• You aren't sure whether the growths are warts
• You are an adult and numerous warts begin to appear, which may indicate the immune system is malfunctioning

Common warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus  is quite common and has more than 150 types, but only a few cause warts  on your hands. Some strains of HPV are acquired through sexual contact. Most forms, however, are spread by  casual skin contact or through shared objects, such as towels or  washcloths. The virus usually spreads through breaks in your skin, such  as a hangnail or a scrape. Biting your nails also can cause warts to  spread on your fingertips and around your nails.

Each person's immune system responds to the HPV virus differently, so not everyone who comes in contact with HPV develops warts.

People at higher risk of developing common warts include:

• Children and young adults, because their bodies may not have built up immunity to the virus
• People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or people who've had organ transplants

To reduce your risk of common warts:

• Avoid direct contact with warts. This includes your own warts.
• Don't pick at warts. Picking may spread the virus.
• Don't use the same emery board, pumice stone or nail clipper on  your warts as you use on your healthy skin and nails. Use a disposable  emery board.
• Don't bite your fingernails. Warts occur more often in skin that  has been broken. Nibbling the skin around your fingernails opens the  door for the virus.
• Groom with care. And avoid brushing, clipping or shaving areas that have warts. If you must shave, use an electric razor.