✅ If it’s on your hand or knee:
→ It could be a common wart—rough and raised, sometimes with tiny black dots.
✅ If it’s on the bottom of your foot and hurts when you walk:
→ It could be a plantar wart—often flat and hard, with discomfort that may be more noticeable when squeezed from the sides.
✅ If it’s small, smooth, and on your face or legs:
→ It could be a flat wart—small, flesh-colored, and sometimes appearing in clusters.
✅ If it’s finger-like and near your eyes or mouth:
→ It could be a filiform wart—often flesh-colored and capable of growing relatively quickly.
💡 The surprising part? Warts are caused by a virus, not by fungi or bacteria. They can also take months or even years to appear after exposure. And no, you can’t catch warts from toads—that’s a myth!
Don’t pick or scratch a suspected wart, as this can spread the virus to other areas of the skin.
For common or plantar warts, treatments such as salicylic acid may help. Duct tape occlusion is sometimes used, although the evidence for its effectiveness is mixed.
See a healthcare professional if the growth is painful, bleeding, changing, located on the face or genitals, or not improving with treatment.
Sometimes the biggest surprise isn’t what it is—but how treatable it can be once you know what you’re dealing with. 💛
