INTRODUCTION
What Are Warts?
Warts are papillomas arising from HPV infection of epidermal or mucosal cells. Histologically, warts demonstrate epidermal hyperplasia, parakeratosis, koilocytosis, and papillomatosis. Reasons for treatment include pain, functional impairment, transmission risk, and cosmetic embarrassment.18 Presenting patients may represent an infected population, so measures inhibiting spread, such as socks covering affected feet, are beneficial.4 There are several types of skin/cutaneous and submucosal warts. Cutaneous warts can be further subdivided. Verruca vulgaris (Figure 1), or common warts, often appear as hyperkeratotic papules and plaques.4 Plantar warts (Figures 2, 5)
Warts are papillomas arising from HPV infection of epidermal or mucosal cells. Histologically, warts demonstrate epidermal hyperplasia, parakeratosis, koilocytosis, and papillomatosis. Reasons for treatment include pain, functional impairment, transmission risk, and cosmetic embarrassment.18 Presenting patients may represent an infected population, so measures inhibiting spread, such as socks covering affected feet, are beneficial.4 There are several types of skin/cutaneous and submucosal warts. Cutaneous warts can be further subdivided. Verruca vulgaris (Figure 1), or common warts, often appear as hyperkeratotic papules and plaques.4 Plantar warts (Figures 2, 5)
are thick, painful hyperkeratotic plaques, often beneath pressure points on the plantar aspect of the foot.4 They look similar to corns, but corns do not exhibit pinpoint bleeding upon paring, and preserve skin markings.4 Periungual warts (Figure 6) are found around or under the nail beds, particularly in people who bite their nails.4 Finally, planar warts (Figure 4) appear as flat-topped papules, particularly on women's faces or legs.
