Warts

**Warts** __**What is a wart and where do they come from?**__ A wart is a skin growth mainly caused by the HPV virus. This virus causes rapid cell growth on the outer layer of your skin. There are over 100 types of HPV and they cause different kinds of warts.

__**What are some types of warts and where can they appear?**__ Genital warts, Plantar warts, Oral warts, Flat warts, Common warts, Periungual warts, Filiform warts, Tagamet warts and Subungual warts. Warts can appear all over the body, even on the inner female genitals.

__**How do warts spread?**__ Warts are spread from person to person but you can also get them indirectly by touching a towel or object used by someone who has the virus. If you have warts, you can also spread them to other parts of your body through breaks in your skin. Warts are most common in people with weak immune systems.

**__How can you prevent warts?__** Use foot wear in public. Don't shave over areas that have warts. Don't bite your finger nails. Don't pick at your warts.

**__How do you treat warts?__** Freezing, with liquid nitrogen. Salicylic acid, to peel off infected skin. Duct tape, to suffocate the wart and cause the immune system to attack. Minor surgery, by cutting away wart tissue or using a laser. Injections of Bleomycin or Retinoids, to kill the virus. Sometimes they will go away on their own but it could take years.

**Plantar Wart ** **Oral Warts ** **Flat Warts ** ** Filiform Warts ** **Common Warts ** **Periungual Warts **