Warts happen when a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) infects the top layer of your skin, usually through tiny cuts or breaks, and makes those skin cells grow faster than normal, forming a small rough bump.

What warts actually are

  • Warts are small, non-cancerous skin growths caused by specific types of HPV that prefer skin, not the types linked with cancers.
  • The virus makes the outer skin layer thicken and harden, which is why warts feel rough or bumpy to the touch.

How we “catch” warts

  • HPV gets in through:
    • Tiny cuts, scrapes, shaving nicks, or broken skin around nails (like from biting or picking).
* Walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces like pool decks, locker rooms, or communal showers.
  • It can spread by:
    • Directly touching someone else’s wart.
    • Touching objects that have the virus on them (towels, socks, shoes, floors, shower surfaces).
    • In the case of genital warts, through sexual contact (including oral sex).

Why some people get more warts

  • Not everyone exposed to HPV gets warts; it depends a lot on the immune system.
  • You are more likely to get warts if you:
    • Are a child or teenager (skin-to-skin contact and frequent minor skin injuries are common).
* Have eczema or other skin conditions that break the barrier.
* Have a weakened immune system (HIV/AIDS, cancer treatment, organ transplant, certain medications).

* Use public pools or showers often, especially barefoot.

* Handle raw meat, poultry, or fish regularly (like butchers and food workers).

Common myths vs reality

  • Myth: “Warts come from touching frogs or toads.”
    • Reality: Animals like frogs and toads do not give humans warts; only human HPV infects human skin.
  • Myth: “If you see one wart, you’ll definitely get more.”
    • Reality: Warts can spread on your own skin if you pick or shave over them, but good hygiene and not picking greatly lowers that risk.

Can they be prevented?

  • You cannot completely avoid HPV, but you can lower your chances of warts by:
    • Wearing flip-flops or sandals in locker rooms, gym showers, and around pools.
* Not sharing towels, socks, razors, or shoes.
* Moisturizing dry, cracked skin and treating skin conditions like eczema so the barrier stays stronger.

* Avoiding nail-biting and picking at hangnails or existing warts.

Bottom line: we get warts when certain HPV types slip through tiny breaks in the skin and the immune system doesn’t fully clear them, letting those infected skin cells overgrow into the little bumps we see as warts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.