Medically reviewed by Julie Forero, DO
Might you might have warts and never even comprehend it? You may in the event that they’re flat warts, identified medically as verruca plana. These warts are flatter, smoother and smaller than their uglier, bulbous cousins. In the event you’ve observed small, barely raised growths in your face, arms or different physique elements and dismissed them as age spots or cussed pimples, the actual wrongdoer could also be flat warts.
Flat warts aren’t dangerous or painful, however you might need to eliminate them for aesthetic causes. In the event you suspect you might have flat warts in your face, arms, legs or elsewhere, learn on to be taught why they develop, methods to inform them aside from different widespread pores and skin circumstances and choices for flat wart therapy.
What do flat warts appear to be?
Flat warts are small—often 1-5 millimeters broad. They’re barely raised and are usually spherical or oval. They’re typically the identical colour as your pores and skin, although they might be pink or yellow brown.
Flat warts generally seem on the face, legs and again of the arms. Regardless that they’re small, they have an inclination to indicate up in clusters of 20 to 100, to allow them to be exhausting to overlook.
What causes flat warts?
Like all warts, flat warts are brought on by human papillomavirus (HPV), a typical and contagious virus. They are often brought on by one in all 4 strains—completely different from the pressure that causes flat genital warts.
You may contract the strains of HPV that trigger flat warts by way of cuts or breaks within the pores and skin, particularly nicks from shaving. That will clarify why flat warts are widespread in younger people who find themselves simply studying to shave, and why girls are likely to see flat warts on their legs whereas males get flat warts on their face, together with the beard space.
Different danger components for flat warts embrace:
- Shut contact with somebody who has HPV
- Touching one thing dealt with by an individual with HPV
- Poor hygiene
- Having a weakened immune system
Different pores and skin circumstances that look just like flat warts
It’s simple to confuse flat warts with different pores and skin circumstances. Brown flat warts, for instance, can typically resemble age spots or small moles, whereas pink ones might appear to be pimples. Flat warts may also be mistaken for pores and skin tags, milia and seborrheic keratoses.
Flat wart vs. pores and skin tag
Some pores and skin tags are related to the pores and skin by a stalk, however others are mounted on the pores and skin and might appear to be flat warts after they’re small. Location is a method to assist distinguish the 2: Pores and skin tags often seem on areas the place the pores and skin folds, such because the eyelids, underarms and beneath the breasts.
Milia vs. flat warts
Small bumps in your face? They could possibly be small cysts referred to as milia. Flat warts and milia share a number of traits—they’re each small, might be yellowish and seem in clusters. However flat warts have a flat high, whereas milia are agency, domed-shaped bumps. Flat warts can happen on the face, arms or legs, however milia happen primarily on the face. And whereas milia might be yellowish, they’re typically pearl-colored.
Flat wart vs. seborrheic keratoses
Like flat warts, benign pores and skin growths referred to as seborrheic keratoses are spherical or oval and no less than barely raised. However they’re sometimes tough, with a lumpy floor. They might look scaly, waxy and “pasted on.” They are often mild tan, brown or black.
Flat wart therapy
Flat warts often go away on their very own, however it could take months or years. In the event you don’t need to wait, you’ll be able to attempt to deal with them at dwelling with an over-the-counter wart remover that incorporates salicylic acid. (Ignore any wart dwelling treatments you see on-line—some might burn and even scar your pores and skin.) In the event you don’t see outcomes, go to your dermatologist.
The standard wart remedies, equivalent to freezing them with cryosurgery or burning them with an electrical needle after which scraping them off, sometimes aren’t supreme for treating a number of flat warts. Chemical peels are sometimes a greater wager. Your dermatologist might prescribe prescription-strength salicylic acid, glycolic acid, tretinoin or some mixture of those topicals so that you can apply to the flat warts at dwelling daily.
Laser therapy is an alternative choice, as is photodynamic remedy. In photodynamic remedy, the physician applies a topical medication that damages the DNA of fast-growing cells and prompts the drugs with mild, often from a laser.
Is there any option to forestall flat warts?
Defending your pores and skin from HPV viruses includes the identical methods as defending it from different microbes.
- Hold your pores and skin clear and dry.
- Keep away from skin-to-skin contact with anybody who has flat warts.
- Don’t share private objects equivalent to towels or clothes with anybody who has flat warts.
- Put on flip-flops on the pool and in locker rooms and public showers.
- Don’t chew or chew your fingernails or cuticles.
- Clear cuts and scratches with cleaning soap and water.
Written by Jessica Brown, a well being and science author/editor based mostly in Nanuet, New York. She has written for Prevention journal, jnj.com, BCRF.org, and plenty of different shops.