Warts

Warts occur in various forms, depending on the type of virus and location of the infection. Of the many forms of warts, a few frequently occurring types are described below.

Warts on the skin

Verrucae vulgares (common warts)

The most frequently occurring type of warts are the common warts. They primarily occur on the back of the hand or on the top part of the finger and on the nail wall and are usually painless.
Common warts are sometimes flat, sometimes hemispheric, and sometimes have a rugged and cornified surface. They are either solitary or they appear in large, knotty formations consisting of several warts. Warts on eyelids, the red of the lips and in the beard area tend to look thin and cone-like. Here, they are referred to as bristle warts (verrucae filiformes). Warts can spread out over a large area in the beard region due to cuts caused by shaving.

Common warts often heal up again without treatment after varying lengths of time. This, however, can take weeks, months or even years.

Verrucae plantares (plantar warts)

Plantar warts are common warts that develop on pressure points - predominantly on the soles of the feet. Due to the body weight resting on the wart, they grow deep into the skin, like a thorn. The surface of the plantar wart therefore hardly bulges out, as in the case with common warts. They are often covered by callus. There are typically many red or black dots in the grainy white horny cell mass and these develop through tiny bleeds.

Plantar warts can cause pain, particularly when walking.

Verrucae planae juvenilis (adolescent planar warts, flat warts)

Warts in the genital area are called genital warts or, to use their medical term, condylomata acuminata. They typically occur in moist, warm environments on mucuous membranes, e.g. under the foreskin, on the anus or on a woman's labia.

Warts in the genital area

Warts in the genital area are called genital warts or, to use their medical term, condylomata acuminata. They typically occur in moist, warm environments on mucuous membranes, e.g. under the foreskin, on the anus or on a woman's labia.

Other types of warts

Verrucae seborrhoicae (age wart, fatty wart)

These warts are not caused by viruses and are thus not infectious either. The cause of these age warts is not known. They are found in varying numbers on the torso and on the faces of older people. Their colour ranges from yellowish and brownish to blackish. The surface is slightly raised and covered with fatty hyperkeratoses (callus, horny skin). Age warts are benign and stay that way. The problem with age warts - in addition to the cosmetic aspect - is that there is a risk of them being mistaken for malignant melanoma. A dermatologist should always be sought out in cases of doubt.