If you have ever wondered what those small, hard, and grainy-looking growths on your skin are, you are not alone. These are non-cancerous lesions, also called warts. These are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Yes, the same virus that is associated with cervical cancer.

So far, there are over 200 varieties of HPV that have been identified. They are usually divided into 'low' and 'high' risk categories. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there are twelve high-risk HPV types that tend to increase the risk of cancer and cancerous lesions. On the other hand, low-risk HPV types cause warts. In this article, we discuss one such type of wart, called Verruca vulgaris, or common warts.

What Are Common Warts?

In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Swapna Priya, Consultant Dermatologist, CARE Hospitals, Hitech City, Hyderabad, describes common warts as small, grainy skin growths that often occur on the fingers or hands.

She shares that common warts are caused by HPV.

“There are more than 100 types of HPV, and different types tend to cause warts on different parts of the body. Common warts are generally harmless but can be bothersome or embarrassing,” the doctor adds.

According to StatPearls Publishing, common warts are associated with HPV types 2, 4, and 5, which are the most common, followed by types 1, 3, 27, 29, and 57.

How To Identify Common Warts

According to Priya, common warts have distinct characteristics. These include:

• Appearance: Rough, grainy texture.
• Colour: Typically skin-coloured, white, pink, or tan.
• Shape: dome-shaped or flat.
• Size: can range from a pinhead to a pea.
• Location: Most commonly found on fingers, hands, knees, and elbows.
• Black dots: sometimes visible, these are small, clotted blood vessels often referred to as "wart seeds."

Are Common HPV Warts On Fingers Contagious?

In general, HPV is a common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) that infects almost all sexually active people at some point in their lives, usually without symptoms, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Therefore, common HPV warts on fingers are also contagious, says Dr Priya.

They can spread through:

• Direct contact: touching a wart and then touching another part of the body.
• Indirect contact: sharing towels, razors, or other personal items.
• Open wounds: HPV can enter through cuts or abrasions, making it easier to contract warts.

Removal And Treatment Options

Sharing a few treatment options, Dr Priya lists:

• Over-the-Counter (OTC) treatments that include salicylic acid preparations, which gradually remove the layers of the wart.
• Cryotherapy, which involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen.
• Cantharidin, a chemical that causes the wart to form a blister, lifting it off the skin.
• Immunotherapy, which stimulates the body's immune system to fight the wart.
• Minor surgery, which involves cutting away the wart.
• Laser treatment to burn away wart tissue.

For those of you who have some type of wart on your fingers or other areas of your body, here’s when you should visit a doctor:

• If the wart is painful or changes in appearance or colour.
• If warts spread rapidly or in large numbers.
• If you have warts on your face or genitals.
• If you have a weakened immune system or diabetes.
• If over-the-counter treatments have not worked after several weeks.

Reference Link

https://www.onlymyhealth.com/are-common-warts-on-fingers-contagious-or-not-1718960732