Current:Home > MarketsWhat causes warts on hands? Here's what types of HPV can trigger this contagious skin condition.-LoTradeCoin
What causes warts on hands? Here's what types of HPV can trigger this contagious skin condition.
View Date:2024-12-23 18:28:47
Hand warts are an easily contractible skin condition that can be passed at even the most mundane of moments, from shaking someone’s hand to sharing towels at the pool.
Warts on hands are caused by an infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 different strains of HPV, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Different strains of HPV will impact different areas of the body, and not all types of the virus cause warts.
When your skin comes in contact with a wart-causing strain of HPV, the virus will prompt your body to produce extra cells. The result is a thick, hard growth on the outer layer of your skin, according to WebMD.
What causes warts on hands?
Common warts, known as verruca vulgaris, often appear on the hands, says Dr. Ronda Farah, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist with M Health Fairview and the University of Minnesota Medical School. These warts usually look like rough, skin-colored bumps, she says. Common warts may have black dots that resemble seeds. They’re mostly caused by HPV strains 2 and 4, although they’ve been linked to a number of other types of HPV, including 1, 3, 7, 27, 29 and 57, per Cleveland Clinic.
Flat warts can also appear on the hands. These warts manifest as “skin-colored little bumps that disrupt the lines of the skin,” and they’re usually located on the “tops of the hands,” says Farah. In contrast to most warts, flat warts have a smooth appearance. They have the potential to grow in clusters of 20 to 200. They’re caused by HPV strains 3, 10, 28, and 49, according to Healthline.
Periungual warts, which grow in the skin surrounding fingernails and toenails, are a reaction to HPV strains 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 27 and 57, per WebMD. Butcher’s warts commonly occur in people who regularly handle raw meat or fish, and they’re caused by HPV strain 7, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Are warts on hands contagious?
“All warts are contagious,” Farah says. Warts can spread if you touch a surface that someone with a wart has also touched, she says. Warts can also be easily passed from skin-to-skin contact, and can also transfer from one body part to another, according to Mount Sinai.
While contagious, warts are usually harmless, painless skin growths. “Warts are typically not cancerous, they're benign,” explains Farah. Rarely, people can develop verrucous carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. In the event that your wart is rapidly growing and is unresponsive to treatment, or if you are experiencing pain, a board-certified dermatologist can perform a biopsy, Farah says.
Are common warts on hands an STD?
Common warts that appear on the hands are not considered to be an STD, Farah says. It’s important to distinguish that the strains that cause genital warts are not the same as the strains that cause common warts, Farah says.
More:Vaccine for HPV, the nation's most common sexually transmitted infection, proves effective
There are over 40 kinds of HPV that can impact the genital area, per Mayo Clinic. The strains of HPV that cause genital warts are almost always passed through sexual contact. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States, and it’s estimated that over 14 million Americans are newly infected with it each year, per Cleveland Clinic.
veryGood! (131)
Related
- Inside Dream Kardashian's Sporty 8th Birthday Party
- Woman admits bribing state employee to issue driver’s licenses without a road test
- 'Ahsoka' review: Rosario Dawson's fan-friendly 'Star Wars' show lacks 'Andor' ambition
- In deadly Maui fires, many had no warning and no way out. Those who dodged barricades survived
- Video ‘bares’ all: Insurers say bear that damaged luxury cars was actually a person in a costume
- New Thai leader Srettha Thavisin is a wealthy property developer who didn’t hide his political views
- US Coast Guard rescues man who was stranded on an island in the Bahamas for 3 days
- Serena Williams has given birth to her second baby. It’s another daughter
- ‘COP Fatigue’: Experts Warn That Size and Spectacle of Global Climate Summit Is Hindering Progress
- Child killed, at least 20 others injured after school bus crash in Ohio
Ranking
- Why Cynthia Erivo Needed Prosthetic Ears for Wicked
- Fruit grower who opposes same-sex marriage wins ruling over access to public market
- These $11 Jeans Have Been Around for 47 Years and They’re Still Trending With 94 Colors To Choose From
- Nike gives details on Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo' released in honor of NBA legend's 45th birthday
- Burt Bacharach, composer of classic songs, will have papers donated to Library of Congress
- Are salaried workers required to cross a picket line during a labor strike? What happens.
- Teen Mackenzie Shirilla Reads Tearful Statement Denying She Intentionally Murdered Boyfriend
- Plane crashes into field in Maine with two people on board
Recommendation
-
Inside Dream Kardashian's Sporty 8th Birthday Party
-
Nike gives details on Kobe 8 Protro 'Halo' released in honor of NBA legend's 45th birthday
-
Bachelor Nation's Ashley Iaconetti Admits Feeling Gender Disappointment Before Welcoming Son Dawson
-
Behind ‘Bottoms,’ the wild, queer and bloody high school sex comedy coming to theaters
-
Mississippi expects only a small growth in state budget
-
Love Is Blind: After the Altar Season 4 Trailer Reveals Tense Reunions Between These Exes
-
A judge will consider if Texas can keep its floating barrier to block migrants crossing from Mexico
-
Rays shortstop Wander Franco put on administrative leave as MLB continues investigation