Plantar wart physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

The typical wart is a raised round or oval growth on the skin with a rough surface. Compared with the surrounding normal skin, warts may appear light, dark, or black (rare). Most adults are familiar with the look of a typical wart and have little trouble recognizing it. Unusual warts with smooth surfaces or flat warts in children may be more difficult for parents to recognize.

The appearance of the warts are as follows;

• Abnormally dark or light skin surrounding the lesion
• Numerous small, smooth, flat (pinhead sized) lesions on forehead, cheeks, arms, or legs
• Rough growths around or under fingernails or toenails
• Rough, round, or oval lesions on soles of feet — flat to slightly raised — painful to pressure
• Small, hard, flat or raised skin lesion or lump.

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