Warts are harmless but unsightly growths that appear on the surface of the skin.
They are caused by a virus, and can appear all over the body.
They are usually spread directly from contact with another person who is infected with the virus, although for most types it is hard to know when you are at risk of infection.
They are usually round, small and colorless, however they can also be fleshy colored or brown.
However genital warts are usually pinkish in color, and will appear around the rectum or genitals.
If left unchecked, they can become widespread and cover large areas of the skin.
It is important to get them treated as soon as you recognise that you have them.
To confirm whether or not you have warts, you should visit your Doctor.
It is vital that you do this, as some cancers can have the same appearance as warts.
Once a wart has been properly identified, you can treat them yourself with wart removers that work by using acid to eat away at the wart, or by freezing the wart and killing the cells within it.
When applying these treatments, ensure that you only use them on the wart itself and not the affected skin, and thoroughly wash your hands afterwards, as failing to do so can assist the warts in spreading to other areas of the body.
Only genital warts can effectively be prevented.
You should always use a condom during sex as this is an extremely easy way to prevent infections.
A person may carry the wart virus without actually having any visible warts, so it is impossible to tell who has it and who does not.
Safe sex is the only way to prevent genital warts.
If you suffer from warts, unfortunately there is no cure, as the virus remains active in your body for your entire lifetime.
However you should find that as time goes by, the outbreaks of warts lessens, and you may go several years without seeing any new warts.