What you need to know about warts — and how to treat them at home

Warts are caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus, or HPV, and often appear as flat or raised bumps or clusters of bumps on the hands, feet or genitals but can occur elsewhere

Author of the article:

Washington Post

Lindsey Bever

Published Apr 28, 2026  •  Last updated 1 minute ago  •  3 minute read

Photo by Getty Images

Many of us have had an irritating bump – or a cluster of them – on our hands, feet or even face.

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It may have been a wart.

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These common skin growths are caused by various strains of a particular virus that most people are exposed to at some point in their lives, experts said.

If you get a wart, even though ones on those body areas are usually harmless and tend to go away eventually on their own, you may prefer to get rid of it sooner. That’s why we spoke to three dermatologists about different types of warts, how you get them and, most importantly, how you can treat them at home.

Warts are caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus, or HPV, and often appear as flat or raised bumps or clusters of bumps on the hands, feet or genitals but can occur elsewhere. Different types of warts are caused by different strains of HPV, said Adam Friedman, a professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. There are more than 240 strains of HPV and they can have a varied impact on your body depending on the type and location of the infection (not all of them cause warts).

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Here are some of the most prevalent types of warts, according to experts:

Most of the common types of warts are spread from one part of the body to another through friction, scratching or shaving, said Shari Lipner, a professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine. But warts can also be spread from person to person. This can happen through direct skin contact or through contact with contaminated items or surfaces such as shared shoes or towels, locker room floors or exercise equipment in public gyms, especially when there are breaks in the skin, Lipner added.

Marisa Garshick, a dermatologist in New York, said you can avoid getting warts “by minimizing exposure and maintaining the skin barrier.” This includes wearing shoes or flip-flops in higher risk areas such as gyms or pools, avoiding sharing razors and other personal care tools and not picking at the warts.

Most common warts resolve on their own within a couple years, but there are various methods to remove them faster, both medical-grade treatments in a dermatology office and over-the-counter ones at home, experts said.

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While at-home remedies may be appropriate for small warts on the hands and feet, never try to treat a large number of warts or warts on sensitive areas of the body such as the face or genitals as there is an increased risk of skin irritation, burns and scarring, Garshick said.

People of color have a higher chance of pigment changes and scarring, Lipner said.

If you want to try to treat a wart at home, dermatologists recommend certain steps, depending on the type of treatment you choose:

If at-home treatments don’t work for you, consult a board-certified dermatologist who may recommend in-office treatments such as medical-grade cryotherapy; electrosurgery and curettage, which uses an electrical current to remove the growth; or certain injections or prescription medications, experts said.

Also, consult a doctor if you have genital warts or more stubborn warts such as plantar warts; warts that are painful or show signs of infection such as bleeding or oozing; warts under or around the nail; or if you have diabetes, are being treated for cancer or have an immune deficiency such as HIV, experts said.

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Most importantly, experts said, consult a dermatologist when you’re not certain that a growth is a wart. “Some skin cancers can look like warts, and you want a professional diagnosis before you start treating aggressively,” Friedman said.

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