How to Diagnose Warts

Warts are an infectious disease caused by the HPV virus. They frequently develop on the hands, feet (plantar warts) and the face. In order to diagnose warts, you must recognize the usual locations and their typical physical appearances. Some warts can look completely different than others. Before treating a growth with a home remedy or over-the-counter product, be absolutely sure that the growth is a wart.

Things You'll Need

• Time and place to examine the affected area
• Dermatologist

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Instructions

Diagnose Warts

• 1

  Notice the location of the growth. Warts are typically found on the hands and on the soles of the feet. Plantar warts usually do not protrude from the skin like other warts. This is due to the weight of the body causing pressure on the sole of the foot. It results in a smooth, flat surface wart.

• 2

  Look at the growth. A normal wart is usually an oval- or round-shaped raised lump on the surface of the skin. The wart itself can be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin.

• 3

  Evaluate your pain. Warts (especially plantar warts) have been known to cause some pain. If the wart has grown in an area that you use or rub against a lot, the friction can irritate the growth and cause pain. It is usually helpful to wrap or bandage the wart so the friction is eliminated.

• 4

  Check your children. Sometimes children's warts are particularly hard to diagnose. If the growths are not causing them any pain, they may never mention them. It is important to check your child for warts often, as children are more prone to catching the HPV virus than adults.

• 5

  Get treatment. Once you diagnose the growth and have determined that it is a wart, there are a variety of options available to you in terms of treatment. Most over-the-counter products contain either nitrogen (for freezing the wart) or salicylic acid (in the form of drops or medicated patches). Seeing a dermatologist, however, may be the fastest way to rid yourself of warts.