Warts Symptoms: Early Signs & Warning Signs

Warts Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored

Most warts are harmless, but certain changes require medical evaluation because other skin conditions can resemble a wart.

The table below highlights wart symptoms and changes that should not be ignored:

Symptom	What It May Indicate
A wart-like growth that repeatedly bleeds	Repeated irritation, injury, or an atypical skin lesion
A lesion changing noticeably in colour, shape or texture	A growth that may need closer examination to confirm the diagnosis
Rapid or unusual increase in size	An atypical growth or lesion that may not be an ordinary wart
A wart that repeatedly returns or persists	Deep infection in the skin requiring targeted treatment to clear the virus
A growth that becomes ulcerated or unusually hard	An atypical lesion requiring professional examination
Persistent or significant pain	Pressure, irritation, infection, or another condition
A wart-like growth in the genital or anal area	Possible anogenital warts or another condition requiring proper diagnosis

Why Do Wart Symptoms Occur?

Wart occur when certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infect keratinocytes, the main cells in the outer layer of the skin. The virus usually enters through tiny breaks in the skin and causes infected cells to multiply, producing the raised or thickened growth typical of a wart.

Increased keratin production makes many warts feel firm and rough. Small blood vessels within the wart can become thrombosed, producing the characteristic red or black dots sometimes visible on the surface, particularly after thickened skin is pared.

The immune system also affects how warts behave. Some warts disappear as the immune system controls the infection, while others persist, increase in number, or recur. Scratching, picking, or damaging a wart can also help spread HPV to nearby areas of skin.

Warts Symptoms That Require Immediate Medical Attention

Ordinary warts rarely cause medical emergencies. However, symptoms around a wart such as serious bleeding, infection, or pain needs urgent assessment.

It is recommended to get immediate medical attention if there is:

Bleeding that does not stop despite firm pressure
Rapidly spreading redness or swelling around a lesion
Severe or rapidly increasing pain with swelling
Pus accompanied by fever, chills, or feeling very unwell
Rapidly worsening skin infection around the affected area
A hand, foot, or other affected area becoming unusually cold, pale, or blue

Symptoms of Warts Based on Type

The appearance and symptoms of warts vary considerably according to their type and location.

The table below describes the common symptoms and features of clinically recognised wart types:

Type of Warts	Common Symptoms and Features
Common warts	Small, rough-surfaced growths that feel firm and may occur on the hands, fingers, knees, or around the nails
Plantar warts (verrucae)	Rough or thickened growths on the soles of the feet that may be painful with standing or walking; tiny dark dots may be visible
Mosaic warts	Groups of closely packed plantar warts forming a larger patch, usually on the sole of the foot
Plane/flat warts	Small, smooth or slightly raised, flat-topped lesions that often occur in groups on the face, hands, or legs
Filiform warts	Thin or finger-like projections that commonly develop around the face, eyelids, nose, or mouth
Periungual warts	Rough growths around or beneath the fingernails or toenails that may distort or interfere with nail growth
Anogenital warts	Single or clustered flat, raised or cauliflower-like growths around the genital or anal area; some may cause itching, irritation or discomfort

Symptoms of Warts-Specific Conditions

Most warts occur as isolated skin lesions, but certain medical situations can produce unusual or extensive wart patterns.

The table below highlights important wart-specific presentations:

Condition or Presentation	Common Symptoms and Features
Extensive or persistent warts with impaired immunity	Large numbers of warts, widespread lesions, frequent recurrence or warts that persist longer than expected
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis	A rare condition causing numerous persistent flat wart-like lesions and scaly or differently coloured patches, often beginning in childhood

Symptoms of Warts in Women

Pregnancy can affect the behaviour of anogenital warts. Women might notice that pregnancy-associated anogenital warts:

Increase in size or number
Become more noticeable
Become softer or more easily irritated
Bleed more easily if the surface breaks
Causes itching or discomfort, depending on location

A new genital growth during pregnancy should be medically assessed rather than self-diagnosed.

Symptoms of Warts in Children

Warts are particularly common in school-age children. They commonly develop on the hands, fingers, knees, and feet and often cause few symptoms apart from visible skin growth.

Common warts symptoms in children include:

Small rough growths on the hands or fingers
One or several warts occurring together
Plantar warts cause discomfort while walking
Small flat warts appearing in groups
Warts around the nails
Minor bleeding if a wart is scratched or picked

Most childhood warts are harmless, but painful, persistent, widespread or unusual-looking lesions should be medically assessed.

Can You Have Warts Without Symptoms?

Yes. Warts can be present without pain, itching or other noticeable symptoms. A person may simply notice a small rough or raised area while washing, dressing or examining their skin.

Small warts in less visible areas can also go unnoticed. A plantar wart, for example, may initially be mistaken for an area of thickened skin or a callus.

Therefore, asymptomatic warts usually means that the wart itself is visible but causes no discomfort or functional problems. Because several skin conditions can resemble warts, uncertain or changing lesions should be professionally assessed.

When Can the Symptoms of Warts Become Life-Threatening?

Warts themselves are generally harmless and are not life-threatening. However, some symptoms that may look like warts, such as a changing skin growth, persistent bleeding, severe pain or spreading redness, can sometimes indicate another serious condition that needs prompt medical attention.

The table below highlights symptoms that may resemble warts but could be linked to a more serious problem:

Symptom or Situation	Why It Is Serious
A wart-like growth that changes rapidly in size, colour or shape	May be an atypical skin lesion that needs assessment to rule out a more serious skin condition
A growth that repeatedly bleeds or develops an open sore	Persistent bleeding or ulceration is not typical of ordinary warts and requires medical evaluation
Severe pain with rapidly increasing swelling	May indicate a serious infection, injury or another condition affecting deeper tissues
Spreading redness, warmth or swelling around the lesion	May indicate a bacterial skin infection that could worsen or spread
Pus from the lesion with fever or feeling very unwell	May indicate a significant infection requiring urgent treatment
Uncontrolled bleeding from a wart-like growth	May lead to significant blood loss or indicate another underlying problem
Widespread or unusual wart-like lesions in a person with severely reduced immunity	May indicate an underlying immune problem or a more complicated HPV-related condition

How are Wart Symptoms Diagnosed?

Warts are usually diagnosed by examining the appearance, location and texture of the skin growth. Additional assessment may be needed when the lesion looks unusual or the diagnosis is uncertain.

The table below outlines tests and assessments that may be used:

Diagnostic Test or Assessment	Purpose
Medical history and physical examination	Reviews the lesion's appearance, duration, symptoms, location, and any recent changes
Skin examination	Assesses the wart's shape, size, colour, texture and distribution
Paring of a thickened lesion	May reveal characteristic pinpoint bleeding or thrombosed capillaries, particularly in plantar warts
Dermoscopy	Magnifies surface and blood-vessel patterns and can help distinguish warts from some similar-looking lesions
Skin biopsy	May be considered when the diagnosis is uncertain or the lesion is atypical, persistent, bleeding, ulcerated or changing
HPV testing	Is not routinely required to diagnose ordinary skin warts or visible anogenital warts

FAQs

Q1. What is the first symptom of warts?

Ans: Warts usually first appear as small, firm, or rough growths on the skin. They are usually painless at first and may become more noticeable as they grow.
Q2. Can warts develop without symptoms?

Ans: Yes. Warts can develop without pain or itching, and a person may notice warts only because of a visible or rough change in the skin.
Q3. Which wart symptoms should never be ignored?

Ans: Wart symptoms such as recurrent bleeding, rapid growth, significant changes in colour or shape, persistent pain, or ulceration should be medically assessed, as the growth may not be an ordinary wart.
Q4. Are wart symptoms different in men and women?

Ans: Wart symptoms are generally similar in men and women. However, anogenital warts may become larger, more numerous or more easily irritated during pregnancy.
Q5. What are the early warning signs of warts?

Ans: Early warning signs of warts include a small rough or firm growth, a raised patch of skin, tiny black dots within some lesions or a thickened area on the sole.
Q6. When should I see a doctor for warts?

Ans: See a doctor for warts that are painful, repeatedly bleed, change noticeably, persist, spread extensively or occur in the genital area, or when you are unsure whether a growth is actually a wart.
Q7. Can wart symptoms vary in intensity?

Ans: Yes. Wart symptoms can vary from a small, painless growth to pain or tenderness, especially when plantar warts develop on weight-bearing areas of the feet.
Q8. Can warts spread to other parts of the body?

Ans: Yes. Warts can spread when HPV reaches nearby skin, especially through scratching, picking or direct contact.