Warts are ugly but do they NEED to go?

Do your warts actually NEED to be removed?

Do I have to get them removed?

Many individuals have more than one wart. If you have a wart, you may be thinking about having it removed.  Although you might think that you need to have it removed, the choice to do is completely yours. In almost all cases, wart removal is completely optional.

Warts are caused by the human palliloma virus
If you currently have a wart or a number of warts on your body, there is a good chance that you already know exactly what they are or how they are caused. Warts have been known to be caused by a particular strain of the Human Papilloma Virus, otherwise known as HPV. Since there is a good chance that your wart is completely harmless, you may not need to have it removed.

Is your wart causing you pain?
Although you do not necessarily need to have your wart or warts removed, you may want to. Despite being harmful and usually painless, there are some warts that can be painful. This generally depends on where the wart is located. For example, plantar warts on the sole of your foot may be painful, from the pressure of walking on them all day. Warts on your hands may be painful, especially if one is irritated or catches on clothing. A wart on your knee may cause you grief if you  kneel for any lengths of time.

Is your wart causing your embarrassment?
You may also want to have your wart or warts removed if they are noticeable. Warts are generally considered unattractive and unflattering. Of course, you shouldn't be too concerned about what everyone else thinks, but it's no fun to be self conscious about your appearance.

Warts can be transferred person to person
It is also important to note that warts can be transferred from person to person. Although this can happen, it's important to know it doesn't always. Some individuals seem to be more susceptible to warts than others. Warts that are on your hand are more likely to transfer to another person through touch. Plantar warts on the sole of your foot can be transferred by going barefoot in warm ,moist areas where the virus is living, probably thanks to someone else with a wart on the sole of their foot, such as swimming pools, gym changing rooms etc.

So, while you don't HAVE to have your wart or warts removed, you decide to do so for a variety of reasons. Just know that wart removal is not guaranteed, and warts can re-occur.