Warts!!! Ugh! They are very unsightly and very embarrassing. And you don’t have to ever touch a toad to get one. If you have ever experienced having a wart, you know just how terrible the process can be for removing them. Here you will find home remedies as well as medical methods used to rid yourself of the discomfort and awkward feeling that accompanies warts. 1. The Causes of Warts:

Warts are caused by a single virus, of which there is many strains. This virus is the human papillomavirus or HPV. This virus is one of the most prevalent infections in the world – it affects approximately 40% of all humans. Because of the warts that result from HPV, it is often times referred to as "the wart virus". Genital warts are the most known wart in association with this virus; however, all warts are a result of HPV. Each type of wart (common, plantar, flat, and genital) comes from a different strain. Common warts originate from HPV types 2, 4 and 7. Plantar’s warts come from type 1, in the plantar area of the foot. Flat warts come from types 3 and 10 of HPV. Genital warts are a result of over 30 different types of the human papillomavirus.

Warts are actual viruses living IN the skin. Blood vessels feed the wart, and therefore the virus itself, keeping it alive and present. This is the reason that wart removal can often times be very painful - the wart is attached to capillaries and embedded in the skin. If you look at your wart, you will probably see little black dots inside. Those black dots are actually the clotted blood vessels feeding your wart. Yummmmm.

Warts are spread when a non-infected area of skin comes in contact with an infected area, either through direct contact or contact with skin cells shed from the wart. It is presumed that the uninfected skin must have at least a miniscule tear in order for HPV to be contracted. In other words, if you have a wart anywhere on your body, and that wart comes in contact with another person’s damaged skin, that uninfected person could now have HPV. (This includes warts on the hands and feet.) 2. The Different Types of Warts:

Warts come in varying shapes, sizes, and appearances. Some are single bumps, while others form in groups. Following is a guide to the types of warts and what to look for when determining what type of wart you have.

* Plantar’s Warts: A common wart that grows on the side or bottom of your foot. Because they are located on the bottom of the foot, they are usually flat and painful due to your body weight pressing down on them. The wart is actually a lot bigger than what you can see. If you push down on the wart you will see an area that is yellowish in color which is the area of the whole wart. These warts are very contagious because this skin is so easily shed from your feet. Also, the virus likes warm and moist environments, including the gym-shower floor, so they are spread to athlete’s in the same manner as athlete’s foot. Athlete’s have the highest incidence of planter’s warts, and diabetics are also susceptible to them. * Flat Warts: These warts are small and smooth, with a round or oval shape. They appear in large numbers – 20 to 100 at a time - anywhere on the body. In children, these warts are most commonly found on the face. In men, they can be present within a beard, and in women, on the legs. Flat warts can spread quickly from cuts while shaving. Also, scratching the affected area can cause the warts to spread in a linear fashion. * Genital Warts: Genital warts are spread through sexual contact involving the genitals, anus or mouth. They generally form as tiny, soft, flesh-colored bumps. They can become hard and rough and also develop a stalk. Sometimes multiple warts may grow resembling a small cauliflower. These warts are usually painless, and disappear after a couple months, but they are incurable; therefore they can come back again and again. For information specific to genital warts, see our article How to Get Rid of Genital Warts.

3. Wart Treatments: Over-the-Counter Wart Cures

Lucky for you, most warts will disappear by themselves, but if you want to speed up the process, there are many over-the-counter products you could try. These are all either used to freeze (a mix of dimethyl ether and propane) or burn (salicylic acid) the wart off, which will destroy the cells containing the virus. Some of these include Compound W (gel, liquid, pad and spray), Dr. Scholl’s (pads/discs, liquid), Wartner (pads, liquid), and Curad (pads). It is important that you DO NOT use OTC medications on facial or genital warts. These medicines are too harsh for these sensitive areas.