Acne  

Basic Facts In Relation To Are Warts Contagious

Warts Contagious (Foto: dallasdermcenter.com)

Warts are identified as hardened round growths on the surface of the skin on just about any part of the body.

They are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus or HPV. If you have been wondering are warts contagious, read on.

Like all viruses, this specific one is also contagious, it is just a matter of discovering how it spreads and how to avoid it.

The most common variety infecting humans is Verruca Vulgaris which is common on the fingers and hands.

Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet and flat warts are more even to the touch. Other varieties found to be less common are genital, mosaic, filiform and periungual warts.

Verruca Pedis (plantar) is found on the pressure points of the soles of the feet and can cause a lot a pain and discomfort, but they generally go away by themselves over a couple of years.

This virus is definitely contagious but it happens rarely. Conditions have to be favourable for viruses to spread from host to host which is how they survive, and this holds true in the case of HPV as well.

The following information will tell you how and where it is possible for you to become infected.

Very close physical contact is a must for the wart causing virus to transfer from one person to another. Skin has to be abraded or cut for the virus to take hold and it can happen when one person is exposed to items or surfaces touched by an infected person.

Warts can be really annoying and always tempt people to scratch, nibble or pick at them, but this is the wrong thing to do, because by opening up the wart it increases the chances of it spreading.

Dressing rooms, bathrooms and shower stalls are the ideal environments where this virus can be spread.

The best preventative measures a person can take is to wash their hands often, not sharing towels or face cloths with other people, wear flip flops when showering in a public facility and regularly change their socks.

It is also a good idea to improve your body’s immune system which will help you not to be as susceptible to contracting viruses.

There are numerous ways to treat this problem and eliminate it, but if left alone they will usually disappear over months or they may even last for a few years.

Some of the more common ways to remove them are topical applications containing salicylic acid which are available without prescription, freezing them off with liquid nitrogen, laser treatments and electro surgery.

Many individuals resort to using home remedies to dispose of them, such as tea tree oil, banana peels, raw potato, garlic and Aloe Vera.

A home remedy which has been tested and proven to be successful, is the duct tape method. The lump is covered by a piece of grey duct tape for about six days, then the tape is removed and the bump is soaked in warm water until soft and then carefully removed with a pumice stone or emery board.

If it is not completely removed after the first try, it should be covered with tape again and the process repeated until it is gone. If you have been asking are warts contagious, I hope with this information your questions have been answered.

If the duct tape method doesn’t sound like the option for you there are many other home removal methods for your warts. Make sure you look for the different methods of removal that suit your comforts.

dr. Royani

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