What does black warts look like

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated January 15, 2025

Contributions sourced from

How to recognize and treat genital warts and when to contact a doctor

Genital warts are flesh colored bumps that can appear on or around the genitals. Knowing what they look like can help a person receive prompt treatment.

The sexually transmitted infection (STI) human papillomavirus (HPV) is what causes them.

Once a person has genital warts, HPV can transmit to others, even if the person has no symptoms.

This article will cover what genital warts look like, as well as some causes and treatment options. It will also discuss outlook, some similar conditions, and when to contact a doctor.

Genital warts can appear on or around the genitals. Possible locations include the following:

vulva
vagina
penis
scrotum
cervix
anus
thighs

These warts can also appear in the mouth or throat if someone has had oral sex with a person who has them.

Genital warts look similar to the warts that a person might get on their hands or elsewhere on the body. This is because various strains of HPV cause all warts, including genital warts.

Genital warts can appear weeks, months, or even years after an HPV infection.

Some people with HPV have no symptoms at all. For this reason, the fact that a person has not had recent sexual contact does not exclude the possibility of having genital warts.

Genital warts do not cause sores, bleeding, or open wounds unless a person scratches them or they catch on something.

Discolored marks, rashes, or bleeding on or around the genitals usually indicate the presence of something else, such as herpes or a skin infection.

Some symptoms that suggest that the bumps on the genitals might be genital warts include the following:

The bumps are skin colored or slightly darker.
The bumps appear as either a single bump or in clusters that may resemble a cauliflower.
The bumps may be rough, smooth, flat, or raised.
The bumps may itch, but they do not usually hurt.

HPV causes genital warts. This is the most common STI in the United States.

The strain of HPV that causes genital warts spreads through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it, often during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. However, genital warts can still spread without penetration and if a person does not have symptoms.

Any anal, vaginal, or penile contact may spread HPV. This can happen even if a person has no HPV symptoms.

Condoms do not fully protect against HPV, since they do not cover all of the areas of the body that may spread the infection. They can, however, reduce the chance of HPV spreading.

Genital warts are not dangerous, though a person might not like how they look.

A different strain of HPV from the one that causes genital warts may increase the risk of cancer. That strain of HPV correlates with a higher risk of certain cancers, including:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributable to HPV infection.

The strain of HPV that causes genital warts is a low risk strain for cervical cancer, but other HPV strains are higher risk.

People who have genital warts may also have a strain of HPV that increases their risk of cancer.

Some people with genital warts say that they feel similar to tiny, bumpy cauliflowers.

The outer surface of the warts may feel smooth or rough. The warts may grow or change texture a little before they clear up.

These warts do not usually hurt, but the skin under the wart may feel itchy. If the warts catch on something, such as underwear, they may hurt.

Genital warts will not bleed if a person does not disturb them. However, friction from walking or sex can irritate or tear the warts. Warts may open, bleed, or become infected from friction or if they snag on something.

The presence of bumps on or around the genitals does not necessarily mean that a person has HPV.

Some other potential causes of genital bumps include:

cysts or other growths under the skin
razor burn and other forms of skin irritation, such as heat rash
skin infections from bacteria, yeast, or other microbes
tumors, including both benign tumors and cancerous growths
other STIs, such as herpes or syphilis

No test can reliably detect HPV for both sexes. However, in females, doctors can test for HPV during cervical cancer screenings with a Pap smear.

For many people, doctors will diagnose the condition based on symptoms, after ruling out other potential conditions.

A person should contact a doctor if they:

have genital warts or other genital bumps
have genital pain
want a doctor to test for other STIs

Certain tests can look for cancer related to HPV. A doctor may recommend undergoing regular Pap smears or other tests based on a persons history of genital warts.

Because it is impossible to self-diagnose HPV, it is important to contact a doctor about any unusual or new growths on the genitals, even if the person thinks that they have had no HPV exposure.

It is possible to vaccinate both females and males against some types of HPV, including those that cause most cervical cancers.

Experts usually recommend that people receive the vaccine before they become sexually active and have exposure to any strains of HPV. However, some younger adults may still benefit from vaccination.

Anyone who is interested in having themselves or their child vaccinated should consult a doctor.

HPV is a chronic virus with no cure. This means that a person may periodically develop genital warts for the rest of their life.

Not all people with HPV develop genital warts, however, and even those with a history of wart outbreaks may never again have another outbreak.

There are treatments available for genital warts. For example, a doctor may recommend prescription creams to clear up the infection. If the warts become infected or cause a skin infection, they may also recommend an antibiotic.

The cancers that HPV increases the risk of are also treatable. So, a person should contact a doctor early about any symptoms of cancer or unusual growths.

Females with HPV may need more frequent cervical cancer screenings.

HPV is a common infection, and many people who contract the virus never know that they have it.

People with genital warts should assume that they are contagious and discuss risk and risk mitigation strategies with their partners.

A doctor can help with assessing risk and recommending treatment options.

How to identify types of warts

The appearance of warts can vary widely, depending on the type. They may appear as bumps on the skin or skin tags, or they may grow on stalks. Some show as calloused skin with black specks.

Warts are a type of noncancerous skin growth.

A 2019 article indicates that warts can occur on numerous parts of the body. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), warts are typically rough and skin-colored, although they can also be dark, smooth, and flat.

Although warts can be itchy, painful, tight, or cause a feeling of pressure, they do not usually produce any other symptoms. Different strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause warts.

This article will look at the different types of warts, as well as causes, treatments, and how to prevent them.

The location of the wart and its appearance will determine which sort of wart a person has:

Common warts

According to the AAD, common warts often develop on the fingers, nails, toes, or the back of the hand. Sometimes, common warts develop on the knees.

Common warts usually occur in areas of broken skin, such as around bitten fingernails or where someone has pulled a hangnail.

Common warts are rough in texture and can vary in size from a pinhead to pea size. Some common warts contain tiny, seed-like black dots.

A common wart that resembles a cauliflower in appearance is known as a butchers wart.

Plantar warts

Plantar warts usually occur on the feet or ankles. Doctors often refer to plantar warts that grow on the soles of the feet and toes as verrucas.

Plantar warts resemble thick, calloused skin, often with black dots on the surface.

Because plantar warts tend to develop on the soles, they are often flat, and a person can push them inward as they walk. This inward growth can cause pain and create the feeling of a pebble stuck in the persons shoe.

According to a 2019 article, mosaic warts appear in clusters, usually on the ball of the foot or the toes. However, mosaic warts can cover areas anywhere on the sole of the foot.

Mosaic warts are paler and flatter than plantar warts.

Flat warts

Flat warts, or plane warts, are slightly raised and smooth in appearance. Flat warts can be light brown and develop most often on the forehead and cheeks. However, flat warts can also develop on the hands, lower arms, and legs.

Filiform warts

According to the AAD, filiform warts are long and spiky and often appear around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Filiform warts grow quickly.

Periungual warts

Periungual warts grow around the finger and toenails, usually spreading underneath the nail. According to an article in Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy, the location of periungual warts can make them difficult for a person to treat.

Genital warts

Genital warts are a form of sexually transmitted infection (STI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that genital warts usually cause no additional symptoms. However, depending on the size and location, they can cause pain or itchiness.

Genital warts range in color from pink to dark brown and can be flat, bumpy, or grow from the skin on stalks. A 2015 article notes that genital warts can occur in the following locations:

vagina
vulva
cervix
urethra
penis
scrotum
anus

Warts caused by the same strain of HPV can also occur on the lips or inside the mouth. These warts are called mucosal warts.

The HPV strain that causes genital warts can also cause certain types of cancer. For this reason, a person who thinks they may have genital warts should see a doctor immediately.

HPV viruses cause warts. Warts occur when one of these viruses infects the top layer of the skin.

The AAD state that warts are more likely to develop when a person has a small cut or other skin damage. Warts tend to spread more easily on moist skin.

Warts are contagious and can spread from person to person through direct contact with skin or by touching an object, such as a towel, that another persons wart has touched.

Genital warts spread through sexual contact with someone who has them, via oral, vaginal, or anal sex.

According to the AAD, the people most at risk of warts are:

children
teenagers
people who bite their nails or pull hangnails
people who have a weakened immune system

A person who thinks they have a wart can visit a dermatologist. The dermatologist will inspect the wart and may perform a biopsy or conduct other treatments to remove the wart.

Warts will often clear up on their own, especially in children. However, there are treatments available.

A person with painful, stubborn, or multiple warts can visit a dermatologist for treatment. According to the AAD, the dermatologist may use one of the following treatments depending on the type of wart a person has:

Cantharidin

A dermatologist will apply cantharidin to the wart, causing a blister to form underneath. After a week or so, the person can return to the dermatologist to have the wart clipped away.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy involves freezing the wart off. The dermatologist applies liquid nitrogen to the skin, destroying the skins outer layer. As the nitrogen is extremely cold, it may cause a brief burning sensation on the skin. Cryotherapy may need several attempts.

Electrosurgery and curettage

A 2019 overview indicates that electrosurgery and curettage is an effective treatment for filiform, common, and plantar warts. This treatment involves the dermatologist burning and scraping off the wart. This method leaves a permanent scar, and 20% of warts are likely to return.

Excision

Excision is where the dermatologist cuts the wart out of a persons body.

Laser treatment

Doctors may use laser treatment for warts that are unresponsive to other treatments. Laser treatment involves the dermatologist burning the wart off with a laser.

Topical treatment

Topical treatment involves applying a wart paint to the wart. This paint usually contains salicylic acid, which gradually removes the hardened wart skin. A person will need to apply the paint to the wart every day for up to 12 weeks.

Bleomycin

In this treatment, the dermatologist injects the wart with the anti-cancer medicine bleomycin. These injections may cause pain or nail loss if injected into the fingers.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is useful if other treatments do not work on warts. A dermatologist may apply a chemical to the wart that causes a mild allergic reaction in an attempt to clear them.

When a person has genital warts, a dermatologist may also help support the immune system by using interferon to fight the wart virus.

The AAD recommend the following methods of prevention for warts: