Warts
virus; contagious; warts; plantar; wart; skin; feet ;
Contents
Sometimes you get a spot on your fingers or feet, which starts to grow into a wart. Warts are a nuisance. They don't look very nice and it can take quite a while to get rid of them. Lots of people get them, so don't feel too bad if you do too.
They are growths on the skin that are caused by a virus.
They turn up one day, grow bigger for a while and may just as quickly disappear again when they are ready (although they may hang around for a couple of years or so if you don't try to get rid of them). They usually do not hurt.
While they are with you they can look ugly, they are contagious [say con-tay-jus] so other people can catch them from touching, and they can hurt if they're between your fingers or under your foot.
What do warts look like?
Common warts usually look like a tiny greyish cauliflower. They are mostly found on hands, fingers and feet.
Flat warts are the same colour as your skin and look like an extra bit of thick, smooth skin sticking up, like a disc or a small patch. They are usually found on the backs of hands and sometimes faces of little children and young people.
Plantar warts are warts on the bottom of your feet. They grow inwards because you stand on them all the time.
How do you get them?
Warts are caused by a virus. They can go from one person to another by touching – either touching the person or touching something the person has touched.
As warts mainly grow on hands and feet, you have to be really careful around wet and warm places, like showers and swimming pools, where the virus could be on the ground waiting to get you on your way past. It can be a good idea to wear thongs instead of bare feet when you're walking around public swimming pools.
If you already have a wart, then it is likely that you will get a couple of others.
If your friend has warts, don't stop playing with your friend or make your friend feel bad. You could tell your friend what to do to make the warts go away. Warts are not dangerous. If you get a wart it cannot make you sick.
What you can do
Don't pick or scratch at warts. Scratching, biting or picking at warts may spread them to another area of your body.
- Keep the area really clean. Wash your hands often and dry them carefully. It's a good idea to be careful to use only your own towel too. (If your hands start to go red or soggy white, then you are washing too much).
- Keep your fingernails short and don't bite them.
- Wear sandals or thongs around public pool areas.
- If you already have a wart on your hand or on your foot, wipe the insides of leather shoes or sports gloves (like baseball mitts) with methylated spirits or surgical spirits after each time you wear them. Don't share other people's sports gloves or shoes.
- Ask mum or dad to get treatments for getting rid of warts from the chemist. You have to follow the directions carefully and the warts won't go away overnight.
- See your doctor if you want to get rid of warts quickly. The doctor may be able to cut them off, or burn them off with an electric needle (the area is 'frozen' first with a local anaesthetic), or freeze them off (the doctor uses liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide 'snow' for this). The latest method is the argon laser, which will get rid of really awful warts, or warts that keep growing back again.
- Don't worry about them and eventually they will go away by themselves.
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Wart's this!
What's this on my finger?
What's this on my toes?
What if I should get one
On the end of my nose?
Warts are so sneaky
They just pop up one day.
Try to ignore them
And they'll go away.
- BH |
Ask Grandma how kids got rid of warts when she was a kid. A lot of these old time 'recipes' that have been passed down from the 'olden days' still work (at least lots of Grandmas say they do).
| Here are some 'passed down' ways to get rid of warts |
Let us know if your family has ways that worked for you.
Plantar warts
These warts grow on the soles of the feet and are the most difficult to get rid of. They really go for young teenagers, but can find their way to anyone really. They particularly go for moist skin, like sweaty feet!
The viral particles get into the skin where there are small cuts, or where skin has been rubbed or scraped.
What you can do...
The prevention of these warts is the same as for other warts.
It helps if you keep your feet clean and dry. Change socks every day.
Dry your feet well and avoid walking around without shoes. This will help you to stop them spreading either to you or from you to others.
Wearing socks with shoes is a good idea too, as you can wash socks often but you can't wash shoes too well.
Warts are a nuisance and no one wants them so - let's make war on warts!
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Do your bit to keep them under control by: |
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getting rid of your warts |
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making sure you don't pass them on to anyone else |
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following the advice on dealing with warts |
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sending in your best "recipes" for getting rid of warts - things you have to have tried successfully yourself - and please say how long it took. |
What some kids say
Here's some words from children who have had warts:
GDM says:
"When you use a product to paint on warts, put something like petroleum jelly around the wart before you use the wart remover. It will stop the remover burning the rest of your skin".
Tara says:
"Cut a lemon in half. Squeeze the juice into your hand. Rub the juice into your warts for a few minutes. Wash your hands. Do this every day and your warts will go away".
Rebecca says:
"When I had a wart I soaked in a bath a couple of times and the wart got all soggy and it came off. I've never had another one. I guess I'm lucky".
Nathan says:
"When I had warts I had them burnt off. It hurt for a while but then it went away".
Jai says:
"I got my wart off by treating it with this red stuff. It took three weeks before it went."
Here's a short poem by Daniel:
Warts, warts,
Don't pick them with forks.
They will go away.
Be patient while they stay. |
Dr Kate says:
Warts don't look very nice and can make you feel bad just by looking at them, but they do not make you sick.
Follow the advice on getting rid of warts, but don't be surprised if they come back again, as they are very persistent little horrors! Do you like my riding outfit?
That reminds me - always wear your own boots and don't lend them to others.
We've collected this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.