When people hear of warts, they think of witches with large warts on the end of their noses. Back in medieval times, women were often treated horribly if they had a noticeable wart due to this fear of witches.
Thankfully, things aren’t quite like that anymore. People have come to realize that there is no such thing as witches and that everything related to warts like that is silly. The truth is that warts are merely viral infections that live deep in the skin. Warts are often mundane, but since they are viral in nature, they can be contagious, so they should be removed when they can be.
Skin Tags vs. Moles vs. Warts
Many people get confused when it comes to skin tags, moles and warts. Yes, they are all skin issues, but they are different and should be treated differently. Many people are worried because the thought that irregular moles are actually cancerous has spread throughout society. Yes a mole could change into a cancerous one, but it’s something that people should have plenty of time to look at.
To differentiate a skin tag vs. the other two, look at how the skin is protruding from skin. Warts and moles are fairly flat against the skin. A skin tag will instead rise up from the skin. They are caused by excess friction against the skin. This can be from clothing or shoes or even skin on skin contact. Thankfully skin tags aren’t dangerous. They can just be annoying.
Moles and Warts both lie against the skin. The difference is that warts burrow down into the skin. Warts are caused by a virus, and as such, it’s the virus that needs to be treated. Warts form much quicker than moles so if it’s a recent addition that has appeared, then it’s almost certainly a wart. One final way to notice is that warts are callused and don’t allow the growth of hair.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts are some of the most common that people may get. Plantar warts are growths that tend to show up on weight bearing areas of feet. Like most warts, rather than growing outward, they grow inward into the foot instead.
Plantar warts are caused by a common virus. It is the HPV virus. This is also the virus that is responsible for herpes and genital herpes. It can enter through any fluid contact and lay dormant for an extended period of time.
People with plantar warts will see small grainy lesions on the bottom of their feet. As mentioned, it’s only on the contact parts of the feet. This means that it will be on heels and toes most of the time.
Wart Removal
Wart removal is one of the few medical processes where there are options. Much like creating a new deck, it can be done by a person themselves, but it’s usually best done by professionals.
One of the most common methods of wart removal is through cryotherapy. This is also simply called “freezing the wart off”. There are also many medicinal options. Since it’s a sub skin virus, topical creams may sometimes prove ineffective. Additionally there are surgery options. The warts can be removed through traditional surgery methods or also through laser surgery. The final main treatment method is through the use of acids.
Wart removal can often be very painful. Many people start a do it yourself treatment and then give up because of that. A solid pain threshold is required for someone who treats themselves at home.