What you may not know about warts

What on earth IS a wart?

Millions of people all over the world develop problems with their skin. Sometimes these are chronic, ongoing issues, but other times they are only minor problems. One problem that many individuals experience is warts. To medical experts, warts are not only considered a minor skin problem, but they are considered a common skin problem also. That is because so many develop warts at least once in their lifetime.

Definition of a wart
Warts are defined as small growths that appear on the skin. These growths are considered benign; meaning they are non-cancerous.  In most cases, warts are considered completely harmless. Despite being harmless, there are many people who don't like the appearance of warts and want to have them removed. This is understandable, because warts are generally considered unattractive. Remember the cartoon witch with the big wart on her nose? Warts can appear on just about any place of the body; however, they commonly occur on the feet, knees, hands, neck, and face.

The Human Papilloma Virus - HPV
One thing to be aware of is that warts are typically caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HVP). Another lovely 'warty' fact is that warts can spread from person to person. But despite having direct contact with someone who has warts, you may not develop them yourself.  Not everyone is susceptible to warts, it depends on the state of your immune system and whether you may have developed any sort of natural immunity to them. This means that one person may develop warts after being in contact with them, but another individual might not.

Who gets warts?
Who can get warts? Warts are common in children, adults, and even the elderly. Not so much in babies, mostly because they have not had the exposure to them that becomes more common as you grow up. But really, anyone can develop a wart, no matter what their age, sex, or race, and most often, you will not know where you have it from.  As mentioned previously, most warts are harmless. The only problem is that some can be painful, depending on where they are located. This is another reason you may consider having your wart removed.

Wart removal
If you are interested in having a wart or warts removed, you may try some home remedies to get rid of them. Or you may want to visit your local GP, who can give you information on effective treatment options. They will also examine your wart to be sure it is indeed, benign. Depending on what country you live in, you may find that a visit to your Dr as well as the wart removal are covered by insurance.

If you do not have a health insurance or you cannot find the time to make a doctor’s appoint, you will happy to know that there are a number of over-the-counter treatment options. These wart removal treatments are generally fairly inexpensive and can be purchased at your local chemist. Take care to read and follow the instructions carefully.

Home remedies
There are many natural, home remedies that some folks will swear by. Some seem to have more in common with witchery than science, but no matter the remedy, you will find at least one person that is convinced their particular remedy is what cured their warts.

More on natural remedies to come...