Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) — a very common family of viruses with over 100 types. The virus infects the top layer of skin, usually entering through a tiny cut or scrape, and makes it grow faster than normal, forming a rough bump. You can pick it up by touching a wart (yours or someone else's) or a contaminated surface like a locker-room floor. Common warts are harmless, even though they're contagious.

How do you get rid of a wart?

Many warts clear on their own within months to a couple of years as your immune system fights off the virus. To speed things up at home, over-the-counter salicylic acid — applied daily after soaking the wart — is the best-studied option and works gradually over weeks. A dermatologist can freeze warts (cryotherapy) or use other treatments for stubborn ones. There's no cure for the underlying virus, so warts can recur.

Are warts contagious?

Yes. The HPV that causes warts spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact and via shared surfaces — floors, towels, razors. Damaged or damp skin is more susceptible, which is why plantar warts are often picked up in locker rooms and pools. To limit spread, don't pick at warts, don't share towels or razors, cover them when possible, and wear sandals in communal wet areas.

When should I worry about a wart?

Most warts are harmless. But see a doctor rather than self-treating if a growth bleeds, changes color, grows or changes shape, is painful, or doesn't look like a typical wart — some skin cancers can masquerade as warts. Also see a doctor for warts on the face or genitals, warts in someone with diabetes or a weakened immune system, or a 'wart' you're not sure about. When in doubt, get it looked at rather than freezing or filing it yourself.

Warts, Explained (Why You Get Them & How to Get Rid of Them)

Warts are one of the most common skin growths there is — those rough, raised bumps that most often turn up on hands, fingers, and feet. They're caused by a virus, they're harmless, and while they can be stubborn and a little annoying, most can be managed. Here's what's actually going on and how to deal with them safely.

What warts are

A wart is a small, rough growth caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) — a large family of viruses with more than 100 types. The virus infects the top layer of skin, usually slipping in through a tiny cut or scrape, and prompts that skin to grow faster and thicker than normal, forming the familiar bump (StatPearls).

Common everyday types include:

Common warts (verruca vulgaris) — rough, dome-shaped, usually on hands and fingers.
Plantar warts — on the soles of the feet, often flat and pushed inward by your weight, sometimes tender to walk on.
Flat warts — smaller, smoother, and flatter, often appearing in clusters on the face or legs.

A note on genital warts: these are also caused by HPV but involve different virus types, spread differently, and need medical care — this article is about common skin warts, not genital warts. See a healthcare provider for anything in the genital area.

Why you get them (and why they spread)

Warts are contagious. The virus spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact with a wart, or via contaminated surfaces — locker-room floors, shared towels, razors. It gets a foothold more easily when skin is damaged or damp, which is exactly why plantar warts are so often picked up walking barefoot around pools and gym showers (StatPearls).

Some people are simply more prone to warts than others, largely down to how their immune system handles the virus. Children, teens, and people with weakened immunity get them most.

How to get rid of warts

First, the reassuring part: many warts clear on their own within months to a couple of years as your immune system gradually clears the virus. If a wart isn't bothering you, watchful waiting is a legitimate choice.

To treat one at home:

Salicylic acid is the best-studied over-the-counter option. You soak the wart in warm water, gently file away the dead surface, and apply the acid once daily — it works by peeling away the wart layer by layer over several weeks, so consistency and patience are everything (AAD). (This is the same active found in many exfoliating and acne products, just used more intensively here.)

If home treatment isn't working, a dermatologist has more options:

Cryotherapy — freezing the wart so it blisters and eventually falls off, often over several sessions.
Other in-office treatments (stronger acids, minor procedures, immune-based therapies) for stubborn or numerous warts.

Evidence-based guidelines still rank salicylic acid and cryotherapy as mainstays, sometimes used together, while reserving more aggressive options for resistant cases (J Evid Based Med, 2022). Two honest caveats: treatment clears the wart, not the underlying virus, so warts can come back; and no single treatment works for everyone.

Don't make it worse

Don't pick, cut, or bite at warts — that spreads the virus to other spots (and to other people) and can cause infection.
Don't share towels, socks, shoes, razors, or nail tools.
Cover warts when you can, and wear sandals in communal showers and around pools.
Avoid filing or "digging out" anything you're not sure is a wart (see below).

When to see a doctor

Most warts are harmless, but see a doctor instead of self-treating if:

A growth bleeds, changes color, grows or changes shape, or is painful — or simply doesn't look like a typical wart. This matters: some skin cancers can look like warts, so a growth that's changing or unusual deserves an in-person exam rather than a drugstore acid (AAD).
The wart is on your face or in the genital area.
You have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system — don't treat foot warts yourself; get medical guidance.
A wart is painful, spreading, very numerous, or not responding to home treatment.
A dark streak or spot appears under a nail — that's never a routine wart and should be checked promptly.

Not sure whether that bump is a wart, a skin tag, or something else worth checking? A dermatrix.life skin assessment reviews photos you upload and returns a private, plain-language summary of what it sees. It's informational only, not a diagnosis — and for anything changing, bleeding, or unusual, please see a doctor in person rather than relying on any tool.