They're embarrassing, sometimes painful and conjure up images of nannies named McPhee.
If you've ever had warts, those black-dotted barnacles that sprout from skin or mucous membranes, you probably know they come not from smooching frogs but from a toad of a germ, the human papilloma virus. It enters the body through moist or compromised skin through direct or indirect contact, and the virus remains present and contagious (newer warts contain more HPV than older ones) until the wart clears up.
Although warts are medically benign, for some they can inflict emotional harm - even if more than half of warts disappear within two years without intervention. For those who don't want to wait, an arsenal of treatment options have emerged in recent years both at home and the dermatologist's office.
"There is no silver bullet for warts," said Joshua L. Fox, a dermatologist and founder of Advanced Dermatology and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery in New York. But with modern treatments, he said, "we are able to eliminate the warts" and that helps "prevent the spread from family member to family member and friend to friend."
A round of "benign neglect" is what dermatologist Randall Coverman prescribes in most cases. If standing pat isn't your style, he said over-the-counter wart liquids and patches that contain salicylic acid "do keep them from getting larger."
If after several weeks there is no change, a dermatologist can try freezing warts with liquid nitrogen, the gold standard for warts.
However, Coverman doesn't advocate it for kids - who along with teens are most commonly plagued by warts. Freezing can cause scarring and discoloration, and for kids, can be painful.
Cantharidin - an extract from the blister beetle - presents another option. Doctors mix the extract with other chemicals, slather it on the wart and cover the area with a bandage. After a time, the concoction blisters off the wart, which can cause discomfort.
When all else fails, wart-sufferers can try laser surgery.