Many of us have had a wart somewhere on our bodies at some time.
Other than being a nuisance, most warts are harmless and go away
on their own. More common in kids than in adults, warts are skin
infections caused by viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV)
family. They can affect any area of the body, but tend to invade
warm, moist places, like small cuts or scratches on the fingers,
hands, and feet. Warts are usually painless unless they're on
the soles of the feet or another part of the body that gets
bumped or touched all the time. Kids can pick up HPV — and get
warts — from touching anything someone with a wart has used,
like towels and surfaces. Kids who bite their fingernails or
pick at hangnails tend to get warts more often than kids who
don't because they can expose less-protected skin and create
open areas for a virus to enter and cause the wart. Types of
warts include: Common warts. Usually found on fingers, hands,
knees, and elbows, a common wart is a small, hard bump that's
dome-shaped and usuall