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Signs and Symptoms of Human Papillomavirus Warts

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can be contracted by any one of more than 100 related HPVs. The virus enters the body through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Although the appearance of warts can signify an HPV infection, some people don’t develop warts or other lesions. There is no cure for an HPV infection, but treatment involves removing the warts.

  1. Genital Warts

    • Symptoms of genital warts include the appearance of flat lesions, a bump that has the appearance of cauliflower or a protrusion that is attached to the skin by a small stem-like stalk. Genital warts are soft and flesh-colored. These warts don’t generally cause cancer and are not associated with discomfort or pain. Women notice the warts more commonly on the vulva, but the warts can also appear on the cervix, in the vagina or near the rectum. Men notice the warts on the tip of the penis, on the scrotum or near the rectum. These warts are less common in men. Rarely, genital warts can develop in the mouth or throat if you contracted the virus through oral sex with an infected person.

    Common Warts

    • Common warts are rough, raised bumps with tiny black dots on the surface. Common warts appear on the hands, fingers and around fingernails. These warts are flesh-colored, white, pink or tan and can occur as a single wart or in a group of warts. Because this lesion is a raised area of the skin, it can become injured. Common warts can be painful but don’t usually appear on people after 20 years of age.

    Plantar Warts

    • These warts appear on areas that are frequently under pressure, such as the heel or ball of the feet. These lesions are hard, grainy growths that can cause discomfort or pain and are typically seen in children or teens. These warts are flesh-colored or light brown and can have tiny black dots on the surface of the wart. Plantar warts are not cancer-causing lesions.

    Flat Warts

    • Flat warts are more common in children and teens. These lesions appear on the face, neck, hands, wrists, elbows and knees. Symptoms of flat warts include lesions that are flat, raised and darker than your regular skin color. These warts are smoother and smaller than the other types of warts caused by HPV.

    Other Lesions

    • HPV can cause precancerous lesions on the cervix or vagina. These lesions are most often detected by a Pap test, which examines cells collected from the vagina and cervix. Low-grade lesions resolve without treatment, while high-grade lesions can turn into cancer of the cervix, vagina or vulva. According to the Mayo Clinic, HPV infections cause nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

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