Warts: types, causes, treatment and which doctor to see
What causes warts, the common types on hands, feet and face, how they spread, which treatments work and when to see a dermatologist.
Also known as: Plantar Warts; Verruca
What warts are
Warts are small, harmless growths on the skin caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus infects the top layer of skin, usually through tiny cuts or scratches, and makes skin cells multiply faster than normal, which produces a raised, rough bump. In Hindi a wart is often called a massa, and people sometimes confuse warts with moles or skin tags.
There are many types of HPV, and different types cause warts in different places. Warts on the hands, feet and face are very common, especially in children and teenagers, and they are not a sign of poor hygiene. They are not cancerous. Many disappear on their own within months to a couple of years as the immune system learns to fight the virus, though some last longer and can spread.
Types and symptoms
- Common warts — a firm, rough skin growth, often on the fingers, knuckles, around the nails or on the knees. They may have tiny black dots, which are small clotted blood vessels.
- Plantar warts (verrucas) — on the soles of the feet. Pressure from walking pushes them flat and inward, so they can be covered by hard skin and cause pain on walking, like a stone in the shoe. Black dots are often visible.
- Flat warts — small, smooth, slightly raised spots, often in groups on the face, forehead, hands or legs. They are common in children and can spread along shaving lines.
- Filiform warts — thin, thread-like growths, usually around the mouth, nose or eyelids.
Most warts cause no symptoms apart from their appearance, though some cause itching or tenderness, and warts around the nails can crack and bleed. Warts in the genital or anal area are caused by different HPV types, are usually sexually transmitted, and need their own assessment by a doctor; they should not be treated with products meant for hand or foot warts.
How warts spread and who gets them
The virus that causes warts spreads by direct skin-to-skin contact, or indirectly through shared towels, razors, nail clippers and footwear, and on damp floors around swimming pools, gyms and shared bathrooms. It can also spread from one part of your own body to another, for example by picking, biting or shaving over a wart. Not everyone exposed to the virus develops warts, and it can take weeks to months for a wart to appear after contact.
You are more likely to get warts if you:
- Are a child or teenager
- Bite your nails or pick at the skin around them
- Have cuts, cracks or very dry skin, or hands that are often wet
- Walk barefoot in shared changing rooms, pool areas or bathrooms
- Have a weakened immune system, for example from HIV, an organ transplant or medicines that suppress immunity
How warts are diagnosed
Most warts are diagnosed by a simple skin examination; no blood test is needed. A dermatologist may use dermoscopy, a hand-held magnifying light, to look for the typical pattern and to tell a wart from a corn, callus, mole or other growth. Occasionally, a small skin biopsy is taken if a growth looks unusual, bleeds, changes quickly or does not respond to treatment, to make sure it is not something else, including a skin cancer.
A plantar wart and a corn can look alike. A corn usually sits over a pressure point and has a smooth central core, while a wart often has black dots and interrupts the normal skin lines. Your doctor can tell the difference.
Treatment
Treatment is not always necessary, since many warts go away on their own. People often choose treatment because a wart is painful, spreading, bothersome or affects their appearance. No single treatment works for everyone, and warts can come back, so several sessions or a combination of treatments are often needed.
- Salicylic acid — paints, gels or plasters available from pharmacies that gradually peel away the wart. They work best when used daily for several weeks, after soaking the wart and gently rubbing off dead skin. They should not be used on the face, genitals or by people with diabetes or poor circulation without medical advice.
- Cryotherapy — freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen in the clinic, usually repeated every few weeks. It can sting and may blister.
- Electrocautery — burning the wart off under local anaesthetic, sometimes combined with scraping.
- Laser treatment — used for stubborn warts at some clinics.
- Immunotherapy — treatments that stimulate the immune system to attack the wart, either applied to the skin or injected, used for multiple or resistant warts.
- Other prescription creams, particularly for flat warts on the face.
Avoid cutting, burning or tying off warts at home, or applying acids, caustic pastes or home remedies to the face. These can cause scarring, infection and pigment changes, particularly on brown skin.
Prevention
- Do not pick, bite or scratch warts, and avoid biting your nails
- Do not share towels, razors, nail clippers, socks or shoes
- Wear slippers in shared bathrooms, changing rooms and around pools
- Keep feet clean and dry, and change socks daily
- Cover a wart with a plaster when swimming or doing sports
- Avoid shaving over flat warts on the face or legs
- HPV vaccination protects against the types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and, depending on the vaccine, genital warts; it is not used for common hand or foot warts
When to see a doctor
Most warts are harmless, but see a doctor if:
- You are not sure the growth is a wart, or it changes colour, bleeds, grows quickly or looks different from your other warts
- Warts are painful, spreading, or have not responded to treatment from the pharmacy
- Warts appear on the face, genitals or anal area
- You have diabetes or poor circulation and a wart or other growth on your foot; see our page on diabetic foot for why foot care matters
- You have a weakened immune system
Warts themselves are not an emergency. However, if a wart treated at home becomes very red, hot, swollen and painful, with fever or red streaks spreading from it, the skin may be infected. Seek medical care promptly, and call 112 or 108 if someone is very unwell, confused or has difficulty breathing.
Which doctor to see
A dermatologist is the specialist for warts, particularly for warts on the face, many or stubborn warts, and procedures such as cryotherapy and electrocautery. A general physician can advise on simple warts, and a paediatrician can help with warts in young children.
You can find dermatologists in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check. If you also have itching and peeling between the toes, see our page on athlete's foot, a fungal infection often picked up in the same shared spaces.
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Are warts contagious?
- Yes, warts can spread through direct skin contact and through shared towels, razors and footwear, or on damp floors. The risk from a single contact is small, and not everyone exposed develops warts. Covering warts and not sharing personal items reduces spread.
- Will a wart go away on its own?
- Many warts, especially in children, disappear without treatment within months to a couple of years as the immune system clears the virus. Treatment can speed things up if a wart is painful, spreading or bothersome, but it is not always necessary.
- Is it safe to remove a wart at home?
- Pharmacy salicylic acid products are safe for most hand and foot warts when used as directed. Avoid cutting, burning or tying off warts, and do not use acids on the face or genitals. People with diabetes or poor circulation should see a doctor before treating foot warts.
- Why do my warts keep coming back?
- Treatments remove the visible wart, but the virus can remain in the nearby skin, so warts can return or new ones can appear. Repeated sessions, combined treatments and avoiding picking or shaving over warts help. A dermatologist can suggest options for stubborn warts.
This condition is usually assessed by a dermatologist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Dermatologists in Bangalore
A few dermatologists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Warts; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Warts
- Government of India — Emergency Response Support System (112)
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Warts — Public-domain health-topic summary
- Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium — terminology definitions — HPO licence; definitions reproduced without alteration
Warts: types, causes, treatment and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-2427.