Patient/caregiver was educated on pathophysiology of warts as follows:
- Warts are fleshy, grainy, usually painless bumps that occur on the skin of fingers and toes, secondary to infection with a virus, Human papilloma virus (HPV).
- Multiple strains or varieties of HPV exist, which cause a wide range of conditions from simple warts to sexually transmitted diseases and genital cancers.
- Warts can occur in multiple sizes, shapes, textures, and colors and can also involve skin of the frequently shaved areas on the face, extremities, and genital areas.
- Involvement of skin with warts in body parts subjected to pressure, such as, sole of foot can be painful.
- Cuts and abrasions on the fingers, toes, frequently shaved areas of the face, and genital areas provide access to the virus, which causes the skin cells to grow rapidly, resulting in a wart.
- Warts often remain localized to the affected skin site and if picked, reserve the potential to spread to other body sites of the individual.
- Contact of healthy individuals with the affected skin of HPV affected individual can result in spread of the virus.
