Warts on the hands and feet: what they are and how to get rid of them

Warts are skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 150 types of the virus. Warts can spread from one part of your body to another, and from person to person through contact.

They are usually raised and rough, round or oval, and sometimes lighter or darker than the skin around them.

• Common warts: usually on the hands and fingers.
• Plantar wart: on the sole of the foot; it can hurt when you walk.
• Flat warts: smooth, on the face and forehead; more common in children.
• Warts around or under the nails.
• Genital warts: these are different and handled separately; see genital warts and HPV.

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Warts are handled in a doctor visit, the same price for every age, with no membership. You pay by card when you request the visit, and you get a full refund if the clinic can’t see you. Any in-person treatment is paid separately where you get it. See all prices.

What you usually see:

• Raised, rough bumps, round or oval
• A spot lighter or darker than the skin around it
• A hard bump on the sole of the foot that hurts when you walk
• Smooth, flat bumps on the face or forehead

Many warts go away on their own within about 2 years. Warts on the soles of the feet and around the nails are harder to cure, and warts can come back after treatment.

For warts on the hands and feet there are over-the-counter salicylic acid medicines, as a liquid, gel or pad, that you apply every day for several weeks or months. Before applying it, file the wart with a nail file when the skin is damp, for example after a shower. Don’t treat warts on the face or genitals yourself. If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, don’t treat warts on your feet on your own: tell the doctor.

If warts don’t improve, there are office treatments, such as freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy), that are done in person. By video the doctor tells you whether it makes sense for you and where to go.

Small smooth, round bumps with a dimple in the center are usually molluscum contagiosum, not warts. A spot that changes color, size or shape, or that bleeds, should not be treated as a wart. It needs an in-person exam, because sometimes a biopsy is needed to rule out skin cancer. If you notice something like this, the doctor refers you. For your safety, if a wart becomes red, warm, swollen and full of pus, or you have a fever, see cellulitis; if you have warning signs, go to the emergency room or call 911.