What Causes Warts?
Are warts contagious? They sure are! While there happen to be more than one differing types of warts, all stem from a pathogen, and the pathogen that causes warts can be spread from one person to others. Naturally, not everybody that is exposed to the virus that causes warts gets warts. Even if you do get the virus, it can take a year or longer before you actually develop a wart. Warts will normally go away eventually without treatment, however it can take a long time for that to occur. If you have warts that bother you, you can treat them with OTC products or see a doctor to talk about options for having them removed.
How Do Warts Spread?
The virus that causes warts, human papillomavirus (HPV), is easily passed from one individual to another. The virus can be passed by contact, when someone with a wart touches some other person, or by indirect contact, when somebody handles an object that was formerly handled by someone with warts. Genital warts are spread by sexual contact. It is also feasible to spread the pathogen from one area of your body to another, if you touch your wart and then touch other parts of your body. You are likely to contract warts if your skin is damaged or irritated.
Inhibiting the Spreading of Warts
After asking are warts contagious, most people wish to know the proper way to prevent the growth of warts. These are some easy steps you should do:
You should not share personal items like washcloths, clothing, shoes, and nail clippers. Warts are easily spread via such items.
Do not bite your fingernails and don’t bite or pick at your cuticles or hangnails. Doing so increases the likelihood that you will get warts on your hands.
Wear shower shoes in public showers, pool areas, and locker rooms. When the skin on your feet is soft from water, your feet are way more susceptible to warts and the human papillomavirus can easily live on warm, clammy surfaces like shower floors.
Don’t have sex with a person that has genital warts. Wearing a condom offers some protection against genital warts but doesn’t assure you won’t get them.
If you happen to have a wart, don’t pick at it. Wash your hands after touching a wart, before you touch other parts of your body.
Cover warts with band aids or athletic tape to be certain you don’t spread the condition to anyone else.
For more info about skin treatment and skin diseases, follow the links to the Healthy Skin Guide site. There you will find detailed info about treating warts on fingers, the causes of warts, and detailed pictures of what warts look like.