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What's Up With Warts?

Want to know how to get rid of those nasty bumps? Find out how in Kidzworld’s What’s Up With Warts?!

Warts are small growths that appear on the surface of your skin. They’re caused by HPV, a highly contagious virus that’s tough to beat. Warts mostly affect kids, although some teens and adults do get them. Some lucky people never get warts, while others get them all the time. Most warts appear on the hands, but they appear almost everywhere on the body.

Avoid Warts!

Don’t share a towel with someone who has warts.
Don’t pick or bite your nails—kids who do get more warts than kids who don’t.
Avoid touching other peoples’ warts. Duh!
If you file down your wart, make sure you wash the file or pumice stone carefully so you don’t spread the warts.

Types Of Warts

Plantar warts show up on the bottom of your feet. These warts are often the most painful because you put pressure on them every time you walk. These are also the most itchiest!
Warts that show up under your fingernails and toenails are called subungual and periungual warts.
Flat warts appear on your face and forehead.

Treatment

You might think you can get rid of a wart by cutting or burning it, but DON’T DO IT! You can use a pumice stone to shave it down, but don’t pick or tear at the warts—the irritation can lead to scarring.

Salicylic Acid

Warts often disappear without treatment, but sometimes it takes years for them to go away. If a wart bothers you, you can get over-the-counter medications that speed up the healing process. Salicylic acid is the chemical found in most anti-wart medicine. You can buy either adhesive pads coated with salicylic acid, or pick up a bottle of salicylic acid solution.

When To See A Doctor

Even if you’re using medication, warts can still take up to 12 weeks to disappear. Worse still, the wart may regrow after it has been removed! See a doctor if a wart is painful or if it just won’t go away. Doctors can remove warts by freezing, burning, lasering or surgically removing them.