Wart and verruca frequently asked questions

Warts and verrucas – small, raised areas of skin that are usually rough to the touch – are very common, especially among children. But are warts contagious? The short answer is yes; warts can be transmitted both through direct and indirect contact. Finding the source of infection is usually difficult since the viruses that cause warts are ubiquitous and it can take anywhere from two to six months before you start experiencing any wart symptoms

• Direct contact
  Warts can spread from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact, for example through a handshake. It is also common for warts to spread to different areas of your own body. This can happen if you pick on a wart and then touch a skin area that has lesions in it.
• Indirect contact
  Any object that has been in contact with a wart can potentially transmit the infection. Sharing personal items such as towels and shoes, as well as walking barefoot on floors of public changing rooms and in swimming pool areas can cause warts to spread.

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which triggers rapid cell growth in the top layer of the skin. There are over 100 types of HPV, and different strains of the virus are responsible for different types of warts. HPV is easily transmitted from one carrier to the next but not everybody that comes into contact with it develops warts.

Children with underdeveloped immune systems or those with a weakened immune system are more prone to developing warts than healthy adults. It is important to warts as soon as they appear to avoid spreading them to other people

Most adults have one or more moles, and around one in ten has a wart or verruca.¹ Although they can look alike at first glance, sometimes appearing similar in shape and colour, there are some important differences between moles and warts. Knowing if you have a mole or wart is important, since wart treatments should not be used to treat moles. If you are unsure please visit your GP.

Warts and verrucas – which affect one in ten adults and one in three children¹ are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). But what is human papillomavirus? HPV is a very common virus that infects the top layer of human skin or mucous membranes. Over 100 different strands of the virus have been identified. These types of HPV are generally harmless. The rest are transmitted through sexual contact and can cause genital warts. Not all sexually transmitted HPV varieties are dangerous, but in some cases an infection can lead to cervical cancer. Since the virus can take many shapes and forms, it is important to get the correct information about HPV.

HPV usually enters the body through tiny lesions in your skin. The HPV varieties that cause warts and verrucas can be transmitted both through direct skin-to-skin contact with a person who is infected and through indirect contact via an inanimate object. Genital warts are passed on through sexual contact. Some types of HPV are transferred more easily than others, and children and people who have a weak immune system are more vulnerable to infection than healthy adults.

HPV is very difficult to detect as it has a long incubation period. After you become infected it could take anywhere from two to six months before you notice any wart symptoms. It is not possible to prevent warts completely, but you can minimise your risk of a HPV infection by washing your hands frequently, not walking barefoot in public areas, taking care of your skin and staying healthy to keep your immune system strong.

In order to avoid spreading the HPV virus, it is important to treat warts as soon as they appear. The HPV varieties that cause warts can be treated successfully at home with an over the counter solution like EndWarts^® PEN or EndWarts^® FREEZE

Warts are caused by viruses and can cause infections. There are several different types of wart viruses. Warts thrive in warm, damp environments. The viruses are easily spread in places like swimming pools, gyms and through direct contact. Some people only get one wart, while others may have several. It is often easier to get rid of new warts than those that have been there for many years.