When we think of the word "wart," we commonly associate it with green witches and toads. Warts cover the planet. They are most common in children and seldom seen in the elderly. Surprisingly enough, warts are actually caused by a virus called HPV, or human papillomavirus infection. There are more than 100 different types of warts; each one is named for its appearance and location. One such wart is the flat wart.
Physical Appearance of the Flat Wart
Flat warts are flat on the top. They are generally smooth with yellowish papules. A papule is a solid, raised lesion. Moderate to severe cases of flat warts have the appearance of acne on the face.
Location
As with all warts, flat warts tend to show up most often on children and young adults, appearing on the face and forehead. Occasionally, flat warts will also develop around the sites of small cuts and scratches through a process called autoinoculation. Autoinoculation is a viral mutation of cells by a virus or infection. In the case of flat warts, the infection is caused by the human papillomavirus.
Cause of Flat Warts
Most cases of flat warts are caused by an infection and the resulting autoinoculation. Most often, infection comes through person-to-person contact with children who have flat warts. There are also rare cases where people have been infected by the virus from exposure to something the carrier has used. Flat warts are not highly contagious.
How to Treat Flat Warts
Like most warts, flat warts are difficult to get rid of. They are highly resistant to treatment. The most common way to attempt to get rid of flat warts is through the daily application of tretinoin. The only problem is that this type of treatment, if it does not take care of the wart, it tends to irritate it, causing the lesion to rise up.
