Warts – Overview

Warts (verruca) are small, non-cancerous, usually painless growths on the skin. They are caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus. Though warts are harmless, they can be quite disfiguring, leading to low self-confidence.

Quick facts

• Warts are contagious in nature.
• They are common among children and frequently seen in ages between 12 and 16 years.

Certain types of warts are itchy or even painful. In some cases, warts may disappear spontaneously without any treatment, but in most cases, proper treatment is required. The response to treatment also varies significantly. Some warts recover readily, while others might require long-term treatment. The trouble with warts is that they are contagious, and therefore spread easily, thus warranting prompt treatment.

Warts can be treated effectively from the roots, thereby preventing further recurrence with homeopathic constitutional treatment. At Dr Batra’s™, we have successfully treated a large number of patients with warts.

What are warts?

As described earlier, warts are small, non-cancerous growths on the skin that may vary in size, shape and colour. Warts are caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus. This virus stimulates the top layer of the skin to grow rapidly, thereby giving rise to the formation of a wart.

Warts are generally skin-coloured, though they may be darker or lighter. The surface of warts may be smooth or rough. Even the shapes can vary significantly; some warts are flat, large and fleshy, and some may be thin, long and cylindrical.

Warts can occur on any part of the body, but commonly affected areas include the following:

• Hands
• Feet (especially soles)
• Face and neck

Warts may occur one at a time or in clusters. They are usually painless, but if the warts are on the soles (plantar warts), they may be painful.

Children and young adults are more prone to develop warts. Given their contagious nature, warts spread easily from one person to another. They also tend to spread easily from one part of the body to another.

One of the common reasons why warts spread so easily is because people try to get rid of them by shaving them off or by trying other means, which only removes a part of the wart. The residual part of the wart is more prone to spread the virus to other parts of the body and to other people.

Warts often disappear on their own within a few months or years, but this may not always be the case. Some warts are ‘stubborn’ and, despite the rigorous treatment, take a long time to disappear.

Types of Warts

There are several types of warts; some common variants are flat warts (small and only slightly raised above the skin), filiform warts (long, narrow, filamentous), plantar warts (painful variety that occurs on soles).

Causes of Warts

Warts are caused by the DNA-containing human papillomavirus (HPV). There are at least 100 genetically different types of HPVs. The virus enters the skin after direct contact and stays alive in a warm, moist environment. The entry site is often an area of recent skin injury. Incubation time (from when the virus is contracted until a wart appears) can be one to eight months.

Homeopathic Treatment for Warts

Most of the success stories one hears in homeopathy are related to the treatment of warts. Homeopathic treatment plays an important role in getting rid of existing warts, preventing the formation of new ones as well as healing the tendency of wart formation.