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What Causes Warts to Come Out of Dormancy?

Contrary to popular childhood myths, people don't get warts from handling toads. Warts are caused by any of the more than 100 infectious viruses that are part of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. Any part of the human body is susceptible to warts both inside and out. Common warts can appear on the surface of the skin, while painful planters warts may grow inward on the soles of the feet. Some types of HPV viruses cause warts in the genital and rectal areas, and some types of sexually transmitted viruses can result in warts on a woman's cervix, where she may not even realize she has been infected.

  1. Types

    • There are four basic types of skin warts. Common warts look like small, hard, dome-shaped growths with a rough-textured head. This type of wart usually appears on the extremities, knees and elbows. Flat warts are most commonly found on the face but can appear on other parts of the body. They are small, pinhead-sized warts with smooth, flat tops that usually appear in clusters. Plantar warts are typically found on the soles of the feet and may grow into the foot, making walking extremely uncomfortable. Filiform warts are fleshly, finger shaped growths that typically present on the face.

    Genital Warts

    • There are over 40 types of HPV viruses that can infect the genital area and may be transmitted through sexual contact. While most common types of skin warts are benign and are more of a nuisance than a health risk, genital warts can result in precancerous growths in the cervix and may lead to uterine or cervical cancer in women and anal and penile cancer in men. Patients suffering from genital warts should seek qualified medical treatment.

    Time Frame

    • HPV viruses are extremely contagious, although some people are more susceptible to contracting the virus than others. Proper hygiene including hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of HPV viruses. Once the HPV virus has be contracted, there is no way of telling if or when warts will present. Some warts will appear withing days or weeks, while others may not appear for years. Some warts will disappear on their own only to be replaced by new warts.

    Treatment

    • Skin warts may be unsightly and painful if struck, but are usually not threatening to the health. These warts are usually treated with an over-the-counter salicylic acid solution which dissolves the wart. Doctors may use liquid nitrogen or some other aerosol to freeze the wart. Genital warts require professional treatment; home treatment should not be attempted.

    Recurrence

    • Wart treatment can be frustrating, because while some treatments can be quite effective in removing existing warts, there is currently no cure for the virus that caused the warts in the first place. Warts may disappear on their own with no discernible reason, and they may lie dormant for weeks, months or even years before reappearing, again with no discernible reason.

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