What are warts and what causes them?
• A wart is a small, hard, rough lump on the skin. Warts are caused by a kind of germ called a virus. You are more likely to get warts if you are a teenager, or have a health condition that lessens your ability to fight infections (in-fek-shuns). Some medicines also make you more likely to get warts. Usually warts do not need to be removed unless they are painful. But you may want your warts removed because of how they look. Some warts go away without treatment, but warts can grow back again. • There are many different types of warts, and they may appear anywhere on the skin. They are most common on the fingers, hands, and feet. Other kinds of warts called genital (jen-it-ull) warts, or herpes, occur on and around the genitals. Ask your caregiver for the CareNotes™ handout on genital warts for more information. What will caregivers do when I have keratolytic therapy? People with diabetes (di-a-bee-tees), poor blood flow, or certain allergies may not be able to have keratolytic therapy.
