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.

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...