Corporate Health & Wellness Specialist – PrognoHealth
Warts
Warts usually occur on the fingers and hands. They are infections on the top layer of skin, caused by a virus, the virus enters the outer layer of the skin through a tiny scratch, causing rapid growth of cells, thus creating a wart. The infection can be transmitted from person to person by touch. The most common way is direct skin-to-skin contact, such as shaking hands with someone with warts on the hand or from towels used by someone with a wart.
Symptoms
* Small, fleshy bumps
* Rough to touch
• Black pinpoints, which are small clotted blood vessels
When to consult a doctor?
Usually, warts heal on their own and need no medical treatment. But if the wart causes pain, bleeds easily, changes appearance, or spreads to other parts of the body, consult a doctor immediately. People with diabetes should especially avoid self-treatment
Tips for prevention
Avoid contact with warts of other people.
• If you have warts, avoid direct contact with other body parts.
• Don’t pick or scratch warts as it may spread the virus.
• Wash the hands thoroughly after touching warts. Keep your hands dry.
• Do not use other persons’ towels, shoes, and socks or items like nail cutters, hairbrush and shaving instruments,
• Cover the wart with a waterproof band-aid when you go swimming
• Do not brush, comb, shave, or clip areas that have warts.
• When cutting nails do not use the same nail cutter on an infected nail and also on healthy nails.
• Do not bite your fingernails if you have warts near them,
• If you go to a gym, clean the equipment before use with a clean towel and wear gloves if you have warts on the hands.
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