National Verruca Foundation offers 5 ways to avoid warts this summer
CHICAGO — The National Verruca Foundation on Wednesday designated July as Wart Awareness Month in order to raise awareness of warts as summer begins. This month-long observance provides individuals, doctors and community-based organizations an opportunity to address ways to prevent the millions of cases of non-genital warts that appear each year in the United States.
Warts can be more than a nuisance; they are highly contagious, embarrassing and can be painful when they appear on pressure points of the body such as the bottom of the feet or on the hands. Plantar (foot) warts affect about 4.5% of the population.
Children are at the highest risk of getting non-genital warts with as many as 22% of children contracting them sometime during their childhood. People with weakened or less-mature immune systems are more prone to warts. There is no vaccine for non-genital warts but avoiding them is possible for many people.
“With education, many people can avoid the potential pain and embarrassment of warts,” said dermatologist Alan Lasser, executive director of the NVF. “We’re pleased to help increase awareness throughout July, before the peak season begins.”
The virus that causes warts is the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is easily transmitted between people and from some objects. The following tips may help you stay wart free:
Wash hands well and often;Don’t share towels. The wart virus can be transmitted by objects;
Wear flip flops or other shoes around public locker rooms, showers and pool decks;
Keep skin healthy and free of cuts. Scratches and cuts can make any area of the skin more vulnerable to the wart virus;
Cover cuts and scrapes; and
Avoid biting nails or picking at hang-nails.