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At a glance
- Warts are common, benign (non-cancerous) skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- They are contagious and spread by contact, including via floors, shared surfaces and small breaks in the skin.
- Common types include hand warts, verrucas (foot warts), flat warts and filiform warts.
- Many clear on their own over time, but treatments can speed removal and reduce spread.
- They are usually diagnosed by their appearance, and most can be managed without seeing a specialist.
Symptoms and types
Warts vary in appearance depending on where they grow and which strain of HPV is involved. Most are firm, painless and slow-growing, though some can be tender or unsightly.
Common warts are rough, raised, dome-shaped bumps with a grainy surface, often on the hands, fingers and around the nails. They may show tiny dark dots (small clotted blood vessels), sometimes called “seeds”. Plantar warts (verrucas) grow on the soles of the feet. Because body weight presses them inward, they can feel like walking on a small pebble and may be painful when standing or walking; several close together are sometimes called a mosaic wart. Flat warts are smaller, smoother and flatter than common warts, often skin-coloured or slightly brown, and tend to appear in clusters on the face, backs of the hands or the legs, where shaving can spread them. Filiform warts are long, narrow, finger-like growths that commonly appear around the eyes, nose, mouth or on the neck.
Genital warts are a sexually transmitted form caused by particular HPV strains and are covered separately in our genital warts guide.
What causes it
All warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), of which there are many different types. The virus infects the outer layer of skin (the epidermis), usually entering through tiny cuts, scratches or areas of softened, damp skin, and prompts the surface cells to multiply and thicken into a wart.
Warts are spread by direct skin-to-skin contact and by touching contaminated surfaces such as swimming-pool and changing-room floors, gym equipment, shared towels or footwear. A person can also spread warts to other parts of their own body — scratching, picking, biting the skin around the nails, or shaving over a wart can seed the virus into nearby skin. After exposure it can take weeks to many months for a wart to appear.
Why some people develop more warts than others largely comes down to the immune system: how well an individual’s immunity keeps HPV in check varies, which is why children and people with weakened immunity tend to be more affected. Having warts is very common and is not a sign of poor hygiene.
Who is at risk
Anyone can get warts, but some people are more prone:
- Children and young adults, whose immune systems have had less exposure to HPV.
- People with a weakened immune system — for example due to certain illnesses or medicines that suppress immunity — who may develop more widespread or stubborn warts.
- Users of communal wet areas such as swimming pools, public showers and changing rooms, where the virus survives on damp floors and skin is often softened.
- People with broken or damaged skin, including cuts, scratches, eczema, or those who bite their nails or pick at their skin.
- People in close contact with someone who has warts, especially when towels or footwear are shared.
How it is diagnosed
Warts are usually diagnosed clinically — that is, a doctor recognises them by their typical appearance and location, and often no tests are needed. Paring away a little of the hardened surface may reveal the pinpoint dark dots that help distinguish a verruca from a corn or callus.
Occasionally a doctor will do more. If the diagnosis is uncertain, if a growth looks unusual, bleeds, changes in shape or colour, or does not respond to treatment as expected, a skin sample (biopsy) may be taken to confirm what it is and rule out other conditions. People with many warts, or warts that keep coming back despite treatment, may be assessed for factors affecting their immunity.
Course and complications
Warts are usually harmless. In many people — particularly children — they clear on their own within months to a couple of years as the immune system gradually recognises and clears the virus. In others they persist for longer, and it is common for warts to spread to nearby skin or to recur after treatment because the virus can remain in the surrounding skin.
Complications are generally minor. Plantar warts can cause discomfort or pain when walking and may alter how a person stands, occasionally leading to aches elsewhere. Warts on the face or hands can be a cosmetic concern. Picking or scratching can cause bleeding, cracking or a secondary bacterial infection. In people with diabetes or reduced immunity, foot warts and any breaks in the skin warrant more careful attention because healing can be slower.
How it is treated
Treatment is optional for many warts, and choices depend on the type, site, number, how bothersome they are, and a person’s age and health. Because warts often clear by themselves, watchful waiting is reasonable, especially in children.
Over-the-counter salicylic acid preparations (gels, liquids or medicated plasters) are a common first step. They work by gradually softening and removing the wart tissue over several weeks of regular use; soaking the area and gently filing down dead skin between applications can help. Patience and consistency matter, as it often takes many weeks.
Cryotherapy (freezing) with liquid nitrogen is a widely used clinic treatment that destroys the wart by freezing it; a course of several sessions a few weeks apart is usually needed. For stubborn or troublesome warts, a doctor may offer other clinic options such as electrosurgery and curettage (burning and scraping), laser treatment, prescription topical medicines, or other approaches. No single treatment works for everyone, more than one course is often required, and warts can still return afterwards. Home remedies and treatments should be used with care around the face, and picking or cutting warts yourself is best avoided.
Living with warts and preventing spread
Simple habits reduce the chance of passing warts to others or to other parts of your own body:
- Do not share towels, socks, shoes, razors or nail tools.
- Keep a wart covered with a plaster or waterproof dressing, especially at the pool or gym.
- Wear slippers or sandals in communal showers, changing rooms and around swimming pools.
- Avoid picking, scratching or biting warts and the skin around them; wash your hands after touching one.
- Do not shave over warts, and use a separate towel for affected areas.
- Keep feet clean and dry, and change damp socks; treat athlete’s foot, which softens skin.
- If you file or pare a wart, keep that emery board or pumice for the wart only.
When to see a doctor
Warts are usually not serious, but see a doctor — such as a GP or polyclinic doctor, who can refer you to a dermatologist or podiatrist if needed — if a wart is:
- painful, bleeding, or changing in size, shape or colour;
- spreading, multiplying, or not improving with over-the-counter treatment;
- on the face or genitals, or you are unsure whether a growth is a wart;
- on the foot and affecting how you walk;
- causing distress or cosmetic concern.
Seek medical advice promptly if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, particularly for foot warts, as these need more careful management. You can find general health information on Singapore’s HealthHub. If you are unsure which growth you have, a doctor can distinguish a wart from a corn, callus or other skin lesion.
Common questions
Do warts go away on their own?
Many do eventually as the immune system clears the virus, but it can take months to years, so treatment is often used to speed removal.
Are warts contagious?
Yes. They spread by contact and via surfaces, so avoid sharing towels and footwear and keep them covered where possible.
What is the best way to remove a wart?
Salicylic acid and cryotherapy are common; stubborn warts may need clinic treatments such as electrosurgery or laser. No single method suits everyone.
Can I catch a wart from a swimming pool?
Wet communal areas can harbour the virus, and softened skin makes infection easier, so wearing sandals and covering any wart helps reduce the risk.
Are warts a sign of cancer?
Common skin warts are benign. However, a growth that bleeds, changes or looks unusual should be checked by a doctor to be sure.
Related guides
Sources
- Dermatological Society of Singapore — viral warts.
- National Skin Centre — warts.
- American Academy of Dermatology — warts.
- UK NHS — warts and verrucas.
- HealthHub (Singapore) — skin health.
This article is for general information only and does not replace a consultation with a qualified doctor. Please seek personalised medical advice for your situation.