Viral warts – what do they look like and how to remove them?

Content author: physician. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager · Editorial work: Editorial team of Wyspa Medycyny Przyjaznej · Medical review: lek. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager · Date of creation: 07.08.2026 · Date of review: 07.08.2026 · Updated: 07.08.2026

The article is educational and does not replace a dermatological examination. A lesion that is growing rapidly, bleeding, ulcerated, non-healing, painful for no apparent reason or with an unusual color requires urgent medical evaluation - not every thickening of the skin is a wart. People with diabetes, impaired sensation in the feet or reduced immunity should not treat foot lesions on their own.

The most important information at a glance

• Viral warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, but the types responsible for skin lesions are different from those associated with lesions in the intimate area.
• The most common forms are common warts on the hands, warts on the feet, flat warts and filiform warts.
• A characteristic feature are dark spots within the lesion - these are clotted blood vessels, not "roots".
• Foot warts are sometimes confused with corns; They differ, among other things, in pain when pressed sideways.
• Infection occurs through direct contact and through moist surfaces: swimming pools, saunas, locker rooms, shared towels.
• Damaged or softened skin makes infection much easier - hence the common foot warts among people using swimming pools.
• Most warts go away on their own, especially in children, but in adults it usually takes longer.
• Picking, cutting and scratching promotes the spread of lesions to adjacent skin and infections.
• Removal methods include local treatment, cryotherapy, laser, electrocoagulation and curettage.
• Relapses are common and do not indicate a treatment error - the virus may remain in the surrounding skin.

Find out more about the specialist

Doctor. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager works at the Island of Friendly Medicine in Gdańsk. He evaluates and treats skin lesions, including viral warts. With these changes, one thing is most important: confirmation that we are dealing with a wart and not a print, a pigmented lesion or something that requires a completely different treatment.

Meet the doctor. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager

Where do warts come from?

Viral warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV for short. It is worth immediately clarifying the misunderstanding that causes unnecessary anxiety in patients: there are many types of this virus, and those responsible for skin warts are different types than those associated with lesions in the intimate area. A wart on the finger is not a sexually transmitted disease.

The virus penetrates the epidermis through minor skin damage - abrasions, cuts, burrs, microcracks. It multiplies in the epidermal cells and causes their excessive keratinization, resulting in a characteristic, rough, convex lesion.

Infection occurs through direct contact with a person with warts or indirectly - through surfaces on which the virus persists. This is favored by humid places and walking barefoot: swimming pools, saunas, locker rooms, shared showers, gyms. Foot skin softened by water is much more susceptible to infection, which explains why foot warts appear so often in people who regularly use the pool.

It is also possible to transmit the virus to yourself - from one part of the body to another. This most often happens when scratching, biting the cuticles around the nails and when trying to remove the lesions on your own. This is the main reason why one wart can turn into a dozen.

The time between infection and the appearance of a visible lesion usually ranges from several weeks to several months, so it is not possible to determine the moment and place of infection in practice.

Types of warts - what they look like

The feature that most often determines the diagnosis is: dark spots visible within the lesion, especially after grinding off the keratinized layer. Patients call them "wart roots," but this is a misunderstanding: warts do not have roots. These points are clotted small blood vessels that nourish the lesion.

The second feature concerns the surface of the skin. There are fingerprints on the hands and feet. There are these lines within the nipple interrupted and do not undergo change - they remain preserved in the impression. This is one of the most reliable differentiating clues.

Foot wart or corn? The most common mistake

This distinction has practical consequences, because the treatment in both cases is different - and treating the corn with methods intended for the wart will not be effective and vice versa.

The simplest home test is a pain comparison: a nipple hurts more when you squeeze it from the sides, a callus hurts more when you press it from the top. This is a guide, not a diagnosis, but in practice it separates the two changes quite well.

What else can they be confused with

• Molluscum contagiosum — pearly lumps with a characteristic depression in the middle; another viral infection common in children.
• Seborrheic wart - a brown lesion that seems stuck to the skin, common after the age of forty; not related to the virus.
• Soft fibroma - a soft growth on the stem, neck or armpit.
• Pigmented nevus - melanocytic lesion requiring dermatoscopic evaluation rather than removal "like a wart".
• Actinic keratosis - a rough, scaly patch on sun-exposed skin; pre-cancerous lesion.
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin - hard, growing, ulcerated or bleeding lesion; requires urgent assessment.

The last item is why a single, rapidly growing or bleeding lesion in an adult should not be treated with a wart preparation without being seen by a doctor. Particular attention should be paid to lesions that do not heal, those that change color and those that persist despite treatment.

Do warts disappear on their own?

Yes, most of them go away on their own when the immune system recognizes the infection and fights it off. This applies especially to children, whose lesions often disappear within several months without any treatment.

In adults, the process may be longer, and warts can persist for years. Therefore, the decision about treatment is not a question of "if it is necessary", but "if it is worth it in this particular case". Treatment is worth considering when the lesion:

• hurts or makes it difficult to walk,
• increases in size or new ones appear,
• is located in a place exposed to injuries or visible,
• interferes with work or makes everyday activities difficult,
• persists for a long time and does not tend to go away,
• occurs in a person with reduced immunity or diabetes,
• is a source of real mental discomfort.

A separate argument is to reduce infectiousness - both towards the environment and towards yourself. The longer the lesion exists, the greater the chance of transmitting the virus elsewhere.

Removal methods

There is no single method that works for everyone. The choice depends on the type of wart, its location, size, number of lesions, patient's age, comorbidities and previous treatment.

Regardless of the method, one rule applies: in the case of warts on the feet, it is necessary to first sand off the thickened epidermis, because without it the preparation or treatment will not reach the lesion. This is also the moment when characteristic dark spots become visible, confirming the diagnosis.

Treatment usually requires patience. Warts, especially on the feet and around the nails, are resistant and a single treatment is rarely sufficient. This is normal and not a sign of ineffectiveness.

What not to do yourself

• Do not cut, cut or scrape the wart. This is the most common cause of spreading lesions to adjacent skin and bacterial infections.
• Don't pick it with your nails or bite your cuticles - this is how the virus is transferred to your fingers and around your nails.
• Do not use other people's or shared tools for pedicure and manicure on affected skin.
• Do not use tanning preparations on the face, eyelids and intimate areas.
• Do not treat foot lesions yourself if you have diabetes, sensory disorders or circulation problems - the risk of a difficult-to-heal wound is real.
• Do not assume the diagnosis of in a single, rapidly growing lesion in an adult.
• Do not continue treatment without effect for many months - lack of reaction is an indication for verification of the diagnosis.

It is worth expanding on the first point, because it is the crux of the problem. The virus is found in the epidermal cells within the lesion. Scratching it causes the infected material to be transferred to the surrounding, often damaged skin - and this is how one wart becomes several. This mechanism also explains why lesions often form lines: along a scratch mark.

Relapses and how to avoid them

Relapses after treatment are common and do not mean that the procedure was performed incorrectly. The virus may remain in the skin surrounding the removed lesion, in a place where no visible changes have occurred yet. Ultimately, the response of the immune system determines cure.

The risk of recurrence and new infections is reduced by:

• flip-flops in the swimming pool, in the sauna, in the shared shower and in the locker room,
• thorough drying of the feet, especially between the toes,
• changing socks every day and wearing airy shoes,
• not sharing towels, shoes and utensils pedicure,
• covering the wart with a plaster when staying in public places,
• giving up walking barefoot on common surfaces,
• avoiding biting cuticles and scratching the lesions,
• treating excessive foot sweating, if it occurs,
• keeping the skin of hands and feet free from irritation, because cracks facilitate infection.

People with numerous, treatment-resistant or recurrent warts should be assessed more extensively - very extensive lesions may be associated with reduced immunity and require a separate approach.

Most common myths

• "The wart has a root that needs to be pulled out." No. The dark spots are clotted blood vessels, not roots.
• "A wart is a venereal disease." No. The types of virus responsible for skin warts are different from those associated with genital warts.
• "Warts come from dirt." No. They result from a viral infection, not from hygiene negligence.
• "Just cut them off." No. This is the shortest way to spread the lesions and infect the wound.
• "If it doesn't hurt, you don't need to do anything." Partially true, but the lesion remains infectious and can spread.
• "Home remedies are equally effective." No. Some of them damage the skin and make subsequent assessment of the lesion difficult.
• “A recurrence means a failed procedure.” No. The virus may remain in the surrounding skin.
• "Every rough lump is a wart." No. Benign lesions, but also precancerous and cancerous ones, look similar.

The lesion does not disappear, it hurts or more appear?

Before you reach for the next preparation, it is worth confirming the diagnosis. The consultation allows you to distinguish a wart from a corn and other lesions and select a method appropriate for localization.

Treatment of skin lesions in the Island of Friendly Medicine in Gdańsk

In the Island of Friendly Medicine doctor. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager consults patients with skin lesions that require evaluation and possible removal. In the case of viral warts, the visit includes examining the lesion, distinguishing it from a corn and other lesions, and selecting a treatment method appropriate to the location, number and nature of the lesions.

If the image of the lesion raises diagnostic doubts, a dermatoscopic evaluation is performed and, if necessary, the lesion is removed with histopathological examination. The current scope of treatments, availability of dates and prices should be confirmed during registration.

Find out more about the medicine. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager Dermatoscopy

What to ask the doctor?

• Is my lesion really a viral wart?
• Isn't this a print, birthmark or other change requiring diagnosis?
• Do I need a dermatoscopic assessment?
• Is it worth treating my case or waiting for it to go away on its own?
• Which method do you suggest and why this one?
• How many sessions may be needed?
• What does healing look like and will there be a scar?
• Is the lesion contagious and how to protect household members?
• Can I go swimming during treatment?
• What to do if further changes occur?
• What is the risk of recurrence and what reduces it?
• When should I go for a check-up?

FAQ - Viral warts

What are viral warts?

These are skin lesions caused by infection with the human papilloma virus. The virus penetrates through minor damage to the epidermis and causes excessive keratinization, creating a rough, convex lesion.

Are skin warts a sexually transmitted disease?

No. The types of virus responsible for warts on the hands and feet are different from the types associated with lesions in the intimate area. A wart on the finger is not a sexually transmitted infection.

How to distinguish a wart from a corn?

In the wart, the fingerprint lines are interrupted and do not pass through the lesion, and after grinding the epidermis, dark spots are visible. The nipple hurts more when pressure is applied from the side, and the corn hurts more when pressure is applied from above.

What are dark spots in the nipple?

These are clotted small blood vessels feeding the lesion, not the roots. Warts have no roots - this is a colloquial but misleading term.

Are warts contagious?

Yes. They are transmitted through direct contact and through moist surfaces: swimming pools, saunas, locker rooms and shared towels. It is also possible to transfer the virus to another part of your body.

Can a wart go away on its own?

Yes, most of them go away on their own, especially in children. In adults, it usually takes longer, and the changes can persist for years.

When is it worth treating?

When the lesion hurts, makes it difficult to walk, enlarges, more appear, is located in a visible place or exposed to injury, as well as in people with reduced immunity and diabetes.

Can I cut a wart myself?

NO. This is the most common cause of spreading lesions to adjacent skin and bacterial infections. People with diabetes and impaired sensation in the feet should not treat such changes on their own at all.

How long does the treatment take?

Usually requires patience and several visits, especially for warts on the feet and around the nails. A single treatment is rarely enough, which is normal and not a sign of ineffectiveness.

Do warts come back after treatment?

Recurrences are common because the virus may remain in the skin surrounding the removed lesion. Ultimately, the response of the immune system determines cure.

Can I go swimming if I have a wart?

It is recommended to cover the lesion with a plaster and wear flip-flops in wet areas to reduce the transmission of the virus. Detailed recommendations depend on the location of the lesion and are worth discussing with your doctor.

When does a change require urgent assessment?

When it grows quickly, bleeds, becomes ulcerated, does not heal, is unusual in color, or does not respond to treatment. Not every thickening of the skin is a wart.

Who evaluates such changes in WMP?

On the WMP website, MD. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager sees patients with skin lesions requiring assessment and treatment. The scope of treatments and availability of dates are confirmed by registration.

Sources

• Island of Friendly Medicine, MD. Katarzyna Przekazińska-Boager: https://www.wyspamedycynyPrzyjaznej.pl/pl/katarzyna-przekazinska-boager
• DermNet, Viral wart: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/viral-wart
• DermNet, Plantar wart: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/plantar-wart
• DermNet, Molluscum contagiosum: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/molluscum-contagiosum
• DermNet, Seborrhoeic keratosis: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/seborrhoeic-keratosis
• DermNet, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/squamous-cell-carcinoma
• NHS, Corns and verrucas: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/warts-and-verrucas/
• NHS, Corns and calluses: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/corns-and-calluses/
• NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, Warts and verrucae: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/warts-verrucae/
• British Association of Dermatologists, patient information: https://www.bad.org.uk/patient-information-leaflets/