How is it Diagnosed?
Warts are benign growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Diagnosis of warts is primarily clinical and often straightforward due to their
characteristic appearance. During a physical examination, a healthcare provider
typically inspects the lesion’s shape, size, color, and surface texture. Warts are usually
rough, skin-colored, and may have black pinpoint dots (thrombosed capillaries) on the
surface.
The diagnosis is often made visually, but in atypical presentations—especially if the
lesion is painful, changes rapidly, or does not respond to standard treatment—further
evaluation may be needed. Dermatoscopy, a non-invasive diagnostic tool, can help
visualize surface patterns and vascular structures more clearly to distinguish warts from
other skin lesions like corns, calluses, or skin cancers.
In uncertain cases, especially when malignancy cannot be ruled out, a skin biopsy may
be performed. The biopsy sample is examined histologically to confirm the diagnosis
and exclude conditions such as squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma.
Special tests to identify the HPV subtype are not usually necessary unless there is
suspicion of genital warts linked to high-risk HPV strains. In such cases, polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) or DNA testing may be performed.
Overall, diagnosis of warts relies heavily on clinical evaluation, supported by
dermatoscopic or histopathological analysis in atypical or resistant cases.