Warts & Moles

Moles and warts are two different types of growths that commonly occur on the skin. While moles grow and develop from cells known as Melanocytes, Warts are usually caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Moles

Moles generally occur during childhood or adolescence. They may be either as small as dots, or more than an inch in diameter. Their appearance differs considerably, and they may form above your skin or stay flat, with a texture that is extremely rough or smooth. Generally, moles are brown or dark in color. However, some may be yellowish, red or flesh-colored.

Warts

There are different types of warts. Warts might appear on your hands, soles of your feet, foreheads and faces, under your toenails or fingernails or even on your genitals. Warts usually have a rough texture and often appear as raised oval or round skin projections. They may vary in colour i.e. from light to dark to black.

Mole Complications

You might be vulnerable to Skin cancer or melanoma if you have more than 50 to 100 regular moles. The symptoms of developing melanoma in a mole mostly include pain, inflammation, bleeding, darkening and mole enlargement.

Wart Complications

If you have plantar warts, you may feel pain or difficulty in walking. Genital warts could lead to the development of cancer in the vulva or cervix.

Treatments

A potentially cancerous mole could be removed through surgery. However, warts very often disappear without treatment. You can also remove them using over-the-counter medications. If you have warts on your genitals or face, it is better to consult your doctor for suitable treatment options.

Warts are usually treated with Cryosurgery. This essentially involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen. This procedure causes minimal pain, following which the wart and the surrounding dead skin fall off by itself.