HPV warts are any of the small benign tumors caused by one of the hundred or so human papillomavirus (hpv) viruses.
They are harmless for the most part but can impact a person's quality of life negatively by marring his or her appearance. Warts will often cause discomfort, pain, and sometimes bleeding. They are highly contagious. All warts are HPV warts and are caused by one or another of the HPV viruses.
Children and younger people are more likely than adults to display warts.
The more common types affecting the young often appear on fingers and hands. Adults, by contrast, are more likely to become infected by genital warts and plantar warts.
These genital HPV warts are tenacious and often recur. An individual can pass the virus to another individual through sexual contact, without either person being conscious of it. The virus can remain dormant in the recipient, who then passes it on to yet another individual, and so on.
Plantar warts appear on the weight-bearing parts of the feet, the soles and toes. Public areas with moist surfaces, such as public showers and swimming pool areas, are breeding grounds for these viruses. The plantar wart viruses can remain active on these surfaces for long periods of time. Never walk barefoot in these public areas.
How do you know if you have HPV warts?
Surprisingly, people will often mistake cancerous moles, calluses or corns for warts. Warts are small cauliflower-like bumps that can appear anywhere on your body. They have a rough surface, even borders, and can be flattened or bumpy. Tiny blackened marks from surface capillaries may be visible.
One thing that distinguishes warts from corns or calluses is the absence of regular skin lines across the wart's surface; there is no continuation of the normal skin line pattern. Another distinguishing feature of HPV warts is that they can occur singly or grouped together in what's known as a mosaic wart pattern. They can range in color from pale pink to grayish or any variation of regular human skin color. Warts are shallow growths, lacking roots that run down to the bone.
The propensity of HPV warts to pass on the HPV viruses and to infect others or spread to other parts of the body are good reasons to get rid of them.
There are various ways to do this, but of course, taking measures to prevent their spread will be of benefit to all. You can help to prevent the spread of HPV warts by practicing basic good skin care and avoiding contact with infected skin or potentially infected public surfaces like showers or swimming pools.
Keeping one's skin clean and healthy is imperative as healthy skin forms an effective barrier to infection. Damaged skin can create an opening for harmful bacteria and viruses.
Regardless of how careful you are, however, you may be predisposed, or more vulnerable than the average person, to HPV warts. Fortunately, you have options. You can visit your doctor for treatment, which may or not be covered by your health insurance plan. Or you can discover how to remove warts yourself naturally, safely and cheaply.
About the Author
Melanie Bell writes about all natural skin care. Check her special resource for how to remove warts in your home. Copyright 2009 Enjoy Better Skin! All Rights Reserved. Permission to reprint only if this box is kept unchanged.
What are warts
What are warts ?
Warts are usually harmless growths caused by viral infections. Human papilloma virus (HPV)is the virus that causes warts. Warts can be transmitted from one person to another and they can travel from one part of the body to another. They are contagious.
What are warts like in appearance ?
Warts are viruses that enter the body through the skin or mucous membrane. They don't produce symptoms for several months. When warts appear, they are usually skin-colored and feel rough to the touch, but they can also be dark, flat, and smooth.
Up to 10% of the population is affected by this condition. Warts are more common in children, young adults, and women. There are different types of warts that affect different parts of the body.
What are warts doing on my hands ?
Hands and feet are the most common areas for warts to occur as well as genitals.Hand warts grow around the nails, on the fingers, and on the backs of hands.
Foot warts ( plantar warts) occur on the ball of the foot, the heel and the bottom of the toes.
The virus can penetrate the body easier if the skin has been damaged. People with weaker immune systems are also more sensitive to what causes warts.
What are warts treated with?
By far the preferred option should be non-surgical. An all Natural approach should always be prefered.
