What are warts?

A wart is typically a small growth that appears on a person's hands or feet and looks like a solid blister or a small cauliflower. They may also appear in other parts of the body.

Warts have a rough texture and are caused by viruses, particularly one of several kinds of HPV (human papillomavirus).

The virus causes keratin, which is a hard protein on the top layer of the skin, to grow too fast.

Warts are not the same as moles. Moles are dark and may become quite large, while warts are nearly always small and have the same color as the person's skin.


The appearance of a wart can vary depending on what part of the body it is, as well as how thick the skin is. A wart that is located on the sole of the foot is known as a verruca.
What are the different types of warts?
Experts say there are several different kinds of warts. According to the National Health Service (NHS), UK, a survey of 1,000 children with warts found that:

    74 per cent of them had common warts
    24 per cent of them had verrucas
    3.5 per cent of them had plane warts
    2 per cent of them had filiform warts

    Common warts (verruca vulgaris) - these have a rough surface. They are firm and raised and may have a cauliflower surface type look. They are thickened bumps called papules or plaques. Common warts may appear in any part of the body, but are more common on the knuckles, fingers, elbows and knees. Often they have tiny dark spots which are from blood vessels that have clotted.

     Verrucas (plantar warts) - these appear on the soles of the feet, sometimes the heel and toes. They usually grow back into the skin because the weight of the person pushes onto the sole of the foot. They can be painful. It is common for verrucas to have a black dot in the middle, with a surrounding hard, white area. The dark dot is the wart's blood supply.

    Plane warts (verruca plana) - plane (plana) means flat. Plane warts are round, flat and smooth. They are generally yellowish, brownish or skin color. They are also known as flat warts and are more common among young children. They are usually found on the hands, legs and face. Adults can have plane warts, but this is unusual.

    Filiform warts (verruca filiformis) - these are long and can usually be found on the eyelids, neck and armpits.

    Mosaic warts - these grow in clusters. Palmar warts are mosaic warts that grow on the palm of the hands and feet.