Warts

Usually grow on the fingers, around the nails, and on the backs of the hands. These are often called “seed” warts because the blood vessels to the wart produce black dots that look like seeds.

Are usually on the soles of the feet and are called plantar warts. Most plantar warts do not stick out above the surface like common warts because the pressure of walking flattens them and pushes them back into the skin. Plantar warts can be painful, feeling like a stone in the shoe.

Are smaller and smoother than other warts. They tend to grow in large numbers, 20 to 100 at any one time. They can occur anywhere, but in children, they are most common on the face. In adults, they are often found in the beard area in men and on the legs in women. Virus seeding from shaving probably accounts for this.

Usually sexually transmitted and they can be rough or smooth surfaced and are typically flesh colored. Genital warts may be large or small and can be found as a single growth or in a group. They can appear on the external genital skin, inside the vagina, or in the anus. Only a small percentage of people infected with HPV will develop genital warts. Many people are “carriers” of HPV and may never develop warts, but may still be able to pass HPV to their sexual partners. Although the incubation period from contracting HPV until the development of warts is usually several months, some people may not develop warts until 1-2 years later.

For diagnosis and management, an accredited Singapore dermatologist can assess suspicious lesions, confirm if they are HPV-related, and recommend suitable treatment options.