Are flat warts contagious to other people?

Flat warts are a disease caused by human papillomavirus. The particles are relatively large or relatively small, generally oval in shape, and a certain degree higher than the skin area. Flat warts are actually not contagious, but if flat warts are accidentally broken, it is best not to let others touch them because of the possibility of infection.

Flat warts are generally flat papules ranging in size from a needle tip to a grain of rice or slightly larger. They are round or irregular in shape, slightly higher than the skin surface, or they may protrude significantly to form a dome shape. The surface is smooth, with clear boundaries, and is hard to the touch. It is light brown, grayish white, light yellow, or normal skin color. Some flat warts are scattered, some are densely packed together, some are fused together or distributed in strips along scratches.

Generally there are no subjective symptoms, only slight itching. It often occurs on the face, forehead and back of the hands, and can also occur on the wrists and knees. Mostly symmetrical, in indefinite number. Sometimes it is associated with generalized warts. It can heal itself or relapse, but it will not leave scars after healing.

Because of its strong infectiousness, it often occurs in dense groups or scattered in multiple places. Especially after scratching, it will be distributed in strips along the scratches. It often occurs on the face, especially the forehead and limbs, and generally there are no subjective symptoms. The patient's intentional or unintentional scratching and abrasions can inoculate the virus into the adjacent skin, so flat warts are characterized by being arranged in a linear pattern along the scratches.

Because the warts of flat warts contain a large number of active viruses, when the area is scratched, the surface of the warts and the normal skin may be slightly damaged. At this time, the virus can easily be inoculated into the normal skin and produce new warts. Similarly, flat warts can also transmit the wart virus to others through this route. Flat warts are mainly transmitted through direct contact, but can also be indirectly transmitted through contaminants such as needles, brushes, towels, etc. The most common sites for flat warts are the face, back of the hands, and forearms. People with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to infection than normal people.