Yes, warts are contagious. They are transmitted by touch, and it can take as long as two to six months for a wart to develop after your skin has been exposed to the virus.

Yes, warts are a common problem especially in children. It is estimated that 1 in 3 children and teenagers have warts.

Children, young adults and people with weakened immune systems (such as those with HIV/AIDS or people who’ve had organ transplants) have a higher risk of developing warts.

There are several types of warts, the more common are:  –       Common warts: they usually grow on fingers and toes. They have a rough, grainy appearance and a rounded top. Common warts are grayer than the surrounding skin. –       Plantar warts: they grow on the soles of the feet. Unlike other warts, plantar warts grow into your skin, not out of it. They appear as a small hole in the bottom of your foot surrounded by hardened skin. Plantar warts can make walking uncomfortable. –       Flat warts: they usually grow on the face, thighs, or arms. They have a flat top and can be pink, brownish, or slightly yellow. –       Filiform warts: they grow around mouth or nose and sometimes on the neck or under the chin. They are small and shaped like a tiny flap or tag of skin. Filiform warts are the same color as your skin. –       Periungual warts: they grow under and around the toenails and fingernails. They can be painful and affect nail growth.

Warts are usually easy to diagnosed for the dermatologist thanks to clinical examination and in some cases dermatoscopy.

The are several treatments for warts, and sometimes the combination of more treatment is necessary to achieve better results. However, in almost 30% of the cases, warts relapse over time because our treatments are able to remove the skin lesions but they cannot clear the virus that persists in a latent form in the skin. Treatment may take weeks or months.

• Cryotherapy: liquid nitrogen is used to freeze warts. Usually a couple of treatments are required (every 7-14 days). Freezing works by causing a blister to form under and around your wart.
• Stronger peeling medicine (salicylic acid): prescription-strength wart medications work by removing layers of a wart a little bit at a time.
• Minor surgery: your dermatologist can cut away the bothersome tissue. However, this may leave a scar in the treated area.
• Laser treatment.