The term “spider warts” is often used to describe certain skin growths, though it is not a recognized medical diagnosis. These growths might resemble an insect bite or have a distinctive appearance. This article clarifies what these growths truly are, particularly common warts, and how they can be addressed.
What Are Warts
Warts are noncancerous skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This common virus enters the skin through small cuts or breaks in the skin’s outer layer. It then stimulates an overgrowth of skin cells, forming the characteristic raised, rough texture of a wart. Warts are transmissible through direct skin-to-skin contact or by touching contaminated surfaces. They can appear on any part of the body, but are most frequently observed on the hands and feet.
Warts Often Described as “Spider-Like”
Some warts are called “spider warts” due to their unique visual characteristics. Common warts, typically found on the hands, may develop small, dark dots often called “seeds.” These dots are actually tiny, clotted blood vessels visible within the wart. When numerous and clustered, they can create an appearance reminiscent of a spider’s body or legs.
Filiform warts are another type that can appear “spider-like.” These warts have distinctive, long, narrow, thread-like projections extending from the skin, sometimes resembling spider legs or a spiky texture. Filiform warts are frequently found on the face, particularly around the mouth, eyes, and nose. These “spider-like” warts are viral skin infections, not caused by spiders or spider bites.
Differentiating Warts from Other Skin Conditions
Differentiating warts from other skin conditions is important. Unlike warts, a spider bite typically involves puncture marks, localized swelling, redness, itching, or pain, and resolves within a week to ten days. Warts, however, can persist for months or years. Moles differ from warts in texture and origin; moles are uniform in color, flat or raised, and result from pigment-producing cells, not a viral infection. Warts often have a rough, grainy, or cauliflower-like texture and may have black dots.
Skin tags are soft, fleshy growths common in areas where skin rubs, like the neck or armpits. They attach by a small stalk and are not virus-caused. Calluses and corns are hardened skin areas from friction or pressure. These lack the viral origin of warts and do not contain characteristic black dots. Other insect bites cause temporary inflammation and itching, resolving faster than a wart, and do not develop its rough, persistent texture.
Treatment Options for Warts
Warts can be treated with at-home remedies or professional medical procedures. Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments often use salicylic acid, available in liquids, gels, or patches. Salicylic acid works by gradually dissolving the wart tissue and encouraging the skin to peel away in layers. OTC freezing kits use cryotherapy to freeze the wart, causing it to fall off.
For stubborn warts, a healthcare provider may prescribe stronger topical acids or immunomodulators to stimulate the body’s immune response. Professional treatments include:
Cryotherapy: Uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy wart tissue.
Electrocautery: Burns the wart off with heat.
Surgical excision: Cuts the wart out.
Laser treatment: Uses focused light to destroy blood vessels within the wart, cutting off its blood supply.
Cantharidin: A blistering agent applied by a doctor that causes a blister to form underneath the wart, lifting it off the skin.
Prevention and When to See a Doctor
Good hygiene helps prevent the spread of warts. This includes regular hand washing and avoiding direct contact with warts. Avoid picking at warts, as this can spread the virus to other body areas. Wearing flip-flops or water shoes in public showers, locker rooms, and around swimming pools can help prevent transmission in moist environments.
Consulting a doctor is recommended if a wart becomes painful, starts bleeding, or spreads rapidly. Medical attention is also warranted if warts appear in sensitive areas, such as the face or genitals. If there is any uncertainty about whether a skin growth is indeed a wart or if you have a weakened immune system, seeking professional medical advice is advisable.