Viral Warts: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate viral warts:

Leading symptoms

  • Sharply defined roundish proliferation of the epidermis (upper skin) with hyperkeratosis (excessive keratinization).
  • Usually painless; however, if warts appear on the foot, they can be painful (verruca plantaris, plantar warts)

Warts can be located anywhere on the body.However, they are common on the hands and feet, on the backs of the hands and feet, in the anal area and on the face. In children, about 54% of warts are on the hands and 28% are on the head and neck area.

Warning signs (red flags)

  • Anogenital warts in children may indicate child abuse

Below are more comprehensive descriptions of some typical warts:

Vulgar warts (Verruca vulgaris)

The surface of vulgar warts is rough and highly keratinized.They are usually between three and five millimeters in size and can occur both singly and in groups.Localization:They usually occur on the hands and on the back of the toes.

Planar warts (verruca plantaris)

The planar warts (flat warts) occur in greater numbers. They are flat and reddish-brownish in color with a dull surface.Localization:They mostly occur on the face and neck or on the hands in children and also in adolescents.

Plantar warts (verruca plantaris)

Plantar warts (synonyms: plantar wart, plantar wart, myrmecia) are usually recognized due to small, brown dots on the surface caused by small hemorrhages.This form of warts can cause significant pain due to the strain of walking.Localization:They form on the soles of the feet and do not grow outward, like the other forms of warts, but inward.

Condylomata acuminata

Condylomata acuminata (synonyms: genital warts, genital warts, pointed condylomas) resemble cock combs in appearance.Localization:They occur especially in the genital area.

Dell warts (epithelioma molluscum, epithelioma contagiosum, molluscum contagiosum; pl. Mollusca contagiosa)

Dell warts are a few millimeters in size and have a hemispherical surface: they are painless and present as skin-colored/waxy dome-shaped papules (nodular thickening of the skin) about 2-5 mm in size with a central indentation.Dermoscopy reveals central lobular, whitish-yellow structures and peripheral coronary vessels.

The dell wart got its name because of a typical depression in the center of the wart (= dent). This dent may have a small opening. When pressure is applied to the dell warts, a creamy to doughy mass (called: molluscum pulp, molluscum corpuscles) is discharged.

Localization: They occur in varying numbers (from a few to several hundred) all over the body. They are especially common on the hands, fingers, arms, upper body and genitals.

Children often get them on the face, neck, eyelids, armpits, and genital area (usually the “benign” variety; occur between the ages of 2 and 5).Adults develop dell warts predominantly in the genital area (sexually transmitted variety).