Why warts bleed

Where it is on your body and how it affects surrounding skin will also be taken into consideration. The length of time it takes a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. It may take up to 2 years for the viral infection to leave your system and for the wart to disappear. You might decide to treat your wart if it is painful, or in an area that is causing discomfort or embarrassment.

Treatment for warts is not always completely effective, and a wart will sometimes return following treatment. Read more about how warts are treated. Warts are not usually painful, but some types, such as verrucas, may hurt. They can occasionally itch or bleed. There are several different types of warts, all varying in size and shape.

The different types are described below. It is possible to have between one and several hundred plane warts, which can develop in clusters. They are usually:. Plane warts can sometimes develop on the lower legs of women, as the human papilloma virus HPV can be spread through shaving.

Mosaic warts grow in clusters and form a "tile-like" pattern. They often develop on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Warts are caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus HPV.

The virus is present in the skin cells of a wart. There are more than different strains of HPV. Different strains are responsible for different types of warts. HPV is passed on through close skin-to-skin contact. It can also be transmitted indirectly by contact with contaminated objects, such as towels, shoes, areas surrounding swimming pools, or the floors of communal changing areas.

Warts are thought to be contagious for as long as they are present on your body. The virus is more likely to spread if the skin is wet, soft or has been in contact with a rough surface. This can cause the wart to break up and bleed, making it easier for the virus to spread. You are more vulnerable to verrucas if you have scratches or cuts on the soles of your feet. Warts usually clear up without treatment. However, it can take up to 2 years for the virus to leave your system and the warts to disappear.

The length of time it takes for a wart to disappear will vary from person to person. They tend to last longer in older children and adults. In adults and people with a weakened immune system, warts are less likely to clear up on their own or respond well to treatment.

Leaving the wart to go away by itself is one option. However, you may want to consider treatment if your wart is painful, in an awkward position, or is causing you distress or embarrassment.

There are a number of treatments available for warts. The aim of treatment is to remove the wart without it returning and without leaving any scarring. Surgery to treat warts is not usually recommended because warts often return and further treatment is required. Some treatments may cause side effects such as mild pain, blistering and skin irritation around the wart.

Many wart and verruca treatments — including creams, gels, paints and medicated plasters — are available over the counter from pharmacies. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in most of these treatments. Within a few days after treatment by a doctor, a small wart will usually fall off, although you may need more than one treatment.

Treatment may take longer for larger warts. Over-the-counter treatments may take longer than the doctor's office treatments, but can be used as initial treatment on the hands or feet. Your doctor may also tell you to use OTC treatments after you've had an in-office procedure. You might also have heard that you can use duct tape to remove a wart. Talk to your doctor about whether this type of home treatment is OK for you. Not all warts can be prevented.

But it's always a good idea to wash your skin regularly and well. If you cut or scratch your skin, be sure to use soap and water because open wounds are more at risk for warts and other infections. It's also a good idea to wear waterproof sandals or flip-flops in public showers, locker rooms, and around public pools this also can help protect against other infections, like athlete's foot. If you do have a wart, don't rub, scratch, or pick at it or you may spread the virus to another part of your body or cause the wart to become infected.

Although many warts disappear on their own with time, it's a good idea to show your wart to a doctor, who can recommend a treatment method if you need one.

If you discover a wart on your face or on your genital area, call your doctor. He or she can determine the best treatment for those areas, which are very sensitive. Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD. Wart medications, such as salicylic acid, gradually peel away layers of a wart until it reaches the same level as the skin.

People may notice the wart becoming flatter over time. When a doctor performs a procedure to treat a wart, its removal may be much quicker. For instance, the doctor may apply cantharidin Cantharone to the wart, which causes a blister to form underneath it. About 1 week after treatment, the doctor can cut away the dead wart. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology AOCD , people need to keep using wart medication until the wart is no longer visible and looks the same as the surrounding skin.

People should not be able to see any black dots or areas of grainy texture. The AOCD also recommends pausing treatment if the wart or surrounding area becomes sore or bleeds. People may need to miss a day of treatment and continue the following day or once irritation stops.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends taking the following steps to heal a wart heal more quickly:. People can also consult a doctor if they are unsure about the best treatment method for removing warts or if self-treatment does not work. HPV causes warts, which are harmless growths on the skin.

The virus is contagious and can pass easily to others. People with a weakened immune system or diabetes should consult their doctor before using any wart removal treatment. People should also see a doctor if they have warts on the face or genitals.

Is apple cider vinegar effective in treating warts? This article discusses how to use it, its effectiveness, and other possible treatments for warts. Warts are most commonly found on areas that are frequently bumped or hurt, such as the hands, knees or feet, but can be located anywhere on the body.

Choose a dermatologist at Ascension Seton for your wart treatment. Find a doctor or find a location near you to take the next step. You should also limit contact with your own warts, as they spread very easily. Picking at your warts or using the same nail clipper or emery board on healthy areas of the skin as you used on warts can both cause warts to spread and multiply. They also develop more often on broken skin. Warts should not be confused with molluscum , although the two skin conditions can look similar.

Getting a correct diagnosis from a dermatologist will help make sure you get the best treatment. However, this can take months or even years. In the meantime, they may grow or spread significantly. Fortunately, there are many options available to manage warts. Some types of wart can need more than one treatment type or multiple treatment sessions. Because warts are so common, there are many over-the-counter treatments that exist. These can be more effective if used after soaking the wart s in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.

Scraping off the top of the wart with a nail file or pumice stone can also help. Several in-office treatments are also available from your dermatologist.