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There are several different types of warts and they also vary in size and shape. For example, the size of a wart can range from 1mm to over 1cm.
Warts are not normally painful, although warts under your fingernails, or on the soles of your feet (verrucas), can sometimes hurt.
You may have one or two warts, or you may have lots on the same area of your skin. Some types of warts affect particular parts of the body.
Common warts
Common warts (verruca vulgaris) are firm and raised, with a rough surface that can look a bit like a cauliflower. They can occur anywhere, but are most common on the hands (knuckles and fingers), elbows and knees.
You may have one, or several, common warts, but you will usually have less than 20.
Verrucas
Verrucas (plantar warts) are warts that occur on the soles of your feet. They can also occur on the heels and toes.
Verrucas do not stick up from the surface of the skin. Instead, the weight of your body pushing down on them makes them grow back into your skin, which can be painful.
Verrucas often have a black dot in the centre, surrounded by a hard, white area. The dot is the blood supply to the wart, and the white area is the skin of the wart that is closely packed together.
You may have one or several verrucas, but usually not more than 20.
Plane warts
Plane warts (verruca plana) are round, flat-topped and usually a yellowish colour. They are sometimes called flat warts, and usually occur in young children, mainly on the hands, face and legs. Plane warts are rare in adults.
You may have between one and 100 warts, which can sometimes be joined together.
Filiform warts
Filiform warts (verruca filiformis) are long, slender warts. They are common on the thin skin of the eyelids, armpits or neck.
Mosaic warts
Warts that grow in clusters are called mosaic warts. They occur mainly on your hands (palmar warts) and feet.
When to see your GP
You should see your GP if your wart or verruca:
- bleeds,
- changes in appearance, or
- spreads.
Foot specialists, known as podiatrists, can also give advice about verrucas.
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