Warts are very contagious. Humans contract them through contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can thrive in warm, moist environments such as gyms, saunas or swimming pools. The virus enters the skin through cuts or abrasions, and then will incubate from between one to eight months before erupting into warts.
10 February, 2009 – 15:44
How do you treat warts?
Many doctors simply put tape over the wart and leave it until it’s gone. Cover the offending wart tightly with a piece of tape, and change every 3-5 days, leaving the skin exposed to air for one day in between covering with tape. Repeat this process for up to two months until the wart disappears naturally.
Salicylic acid is also an effective treatment for warts and many over-the-counter formulations are available. For plantar warts, use Pedinol Sal-Plant Gel on a daily basis, for up to two weeks while common warts may be treated with Pedinol Hydrisalic Gel. More aggressive treatments, including liquid nitrogen or electric current, can be performed by a dermatologist.
Natural treatments that can help are raw garlic, or garlic oil rubbed daily onto a wart also appears to help the warts to disappear more quickly.
While plantar warts are not considered contagious, be aware of warts on the face or hands as these are highly contagious and can easily be transmitted to healthy sections of skin or other people. Shaving can also spread warts so men should be particularly careful when shaving in order to prevent re-infection at a new site on the skin.
