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HPV Infection: What It Is, the Four Types of Warts, and How It Is Treated

Writer: Dr. Baraa Alnahhal
Dr. Baraa Alnahhal
5 days ago
10 min read

Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 2026

Quick Answer

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a common viral infection spread mainly through skin-to-skin contact. Of its more than 100 types, some cause four kinds of warts (genital, common, plantar, and flat), while others can cause cancers of the cervix, anus, throat, and more. The body's immune system usually defeats the infection before warts appear. Treatment removes warts but does not cure the virus, which is why vaccination and regular cervical screening are the strongest defenses.

What the research says

  • HPV vaccination is linked to far fewer cervical cancers. In a Swedish registry study following 1,672,983 girls and women aged 10 to 30 (2006-2017), cervical cancer was diagnosed in 19 vaccinated women and 538 unvaccinated women; cumulative incidence was 47 versus 94 cases per 100,000, and the fully adjusted incidence rate ratio was 0.12 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.34) for those vaccinated before age 17 and 0.47 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.75) for those vaccinated at 17 to 30 (Lei et al., N Engl J Med, 2020).

  • HPV16 is the most frequently reported genotype, and earlier vaccination looks best. A 2026 exploratory systematic review of 14 heterogeneous studies (2010-2025) found HPV16 was the most commonly reported genotype, noted rising prevalence of other high-risk genotypes, and reported lower cervical cancer incidence among women vaccinated before adolescence; the authors cautioned that the small number and diversity of studies make the findings exploratory (Shoarishoar & Seifollahi Marbini, Cancer Invest, 2026).

What Is an HPV Infection?

HPV infection is a viral infection caused by the human papillomavirus. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Some types produce skin growths called warts, and some types can cause cancer.

Most HPV infections don't lead to cancer. However, certain types of genital HPV can cause cancer of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Other cancers linked to HPV infection include cancers of the anus, penis, vagina, vulva, and the back of the throat, which is called oropharyngeal cancer. These infections are often passed through sex or through other skin-to-skin contact. Vaccines can help protect against the strains of HPV most likely to cause genital warts or cervical cancer.

  • Number of HPV types: more than 100.

  • Main ways it spreads: skin-to-skin contact, including sex.

  • Most infections: do not lead to cancer, and the immune system often clears them.

  • Cancer-linked types: cause cervical cancer and are linked to anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers.

  • Strongest protection: vaccination and regular screening.

The Four Types of Warts HPV Can Cause

Usually, the body's immune system defeats an HPV infection before it creates warts. When warts do appear, different types of HPV produce different kinds, and they look and behave differently.

  • Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection. Some appear flat, others look like small cauliflower-like bumps or tiny stemlike bumps. In women they appear mostly on the vulva, but also near the anus, on the cervix, or in the vagina. In men they appear on the penis and scrotum or around the anus. They rarely cause discomfort or pain, but might itch or feel tender. They occur most often in adolescents and young adults.

  • Common warts are rough, raised bumps, usually on the hands and fingers. They are small, grainy bumps that are usually flesh-colored, white, pink, or tan. Most are simply unattractive, but they can be painful and are easy to injure or make bleed. They occur mostly in children.

  • Plantar warts are hard, grainy growths that usually appear on the heels or balls of the feet. They are caused by the same type of virus that causes warts on the hands and fingers, but because of where they are, they can be painful.

  • Flat warts are flat-topped, slightly raised lesions that can appear anywhere on the body. Children usually get them on the face, men tend to get them in the beard area, and women tend to get them on the legs. They are smaller and smoother than other warts and more common in children and teens than in adults.

Types of warts caused by HPV: genital, common, plantar, and flat

Figure 1: The four types of HPV warts. Genital warts are sexually transmitted, while common, plantar, and flat warts spread through casual skin contact.

HPV and Cervical Cancer

HPV infections cause almost all cervical cancers. But cervical cancer may take 20 years or longer to develop after an HPV infection. The HPV infection and early cervical cancer typically don't cause symptoms, which is why screening matters so much. Getting vaccinated against HPV infection is the best way to protect against cervical cancer. Regular screening tests can find changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer. Under the current guidelines described by Mayo Clinic:

  • Ages 21 to 29: a Pap test every three years.

  • Ages 30 to 65: a Pap test every three years, or every five years with a combined HPV DNA test.

  • Over 65: testing can stop after three regular Pap tests in a row, or two combined HPV DNA and Pap tests with no irregular results.

When to See a Doctor

If you or your child has any warts that cause embarrassment, discomfort, or pain, seek advice from your healthcare professional.

How HPV Spreads

HPV infection occurs when the virus enters the body, usually through a cut or other damage to the skin. The virus spreads mainly by skin-to-skin contact. Genital HPV infections are contracted through sex, anal sex, and other skin-to-skin contact of the genitals, and some HPV infections spread through oral sex.

People who are pregnant and have an HPV infection with genital warts can give the infection to the baby. Rarely, the infection may cause a noncancerous growth in the baby's voice box (larynx). Warts also spread easily: they are contagious and can spread through direct contact with a wart or by touching something that has touched a wart.

Risk Factors

HPV infections are common. Several factors raise the chance of infection.

  • Number of sex partners: more partners raise the risk of genital HPV infection, and so does having sex with a partner who has had multiple partners.

  • Age: common warts occur mostly in children, and genital warts occur most often in adolescents and young adults.

  • Weakened immune system: HIV/AIDS or certain medicines used after organ transplants increase risk.

  • Damaged skin: injured areas of skin are more likely to develop common warts.

  • Personal contact: touching someone's warts, or surfaces infected with HPV such as public showers or swimming pools, might increase risk.

Complications

HPV infections can lead to more than visible warts. Some cause lesions on the tongue, tonsils, or soft palate, or within the larynx and nose. Certain strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, and these strains also might play a part in cancers of the genitals, anus, mouth, and upper respiratory tract.

How HPV Infection Is Diagnosed

A healthcare professional might be able to diagnose HPV infection by looking at the warts. If genital warts don't show, one or more of the following tests can find them:

  • Vinegar (acetic acid) solution test: a vinegar solution applied to HPV-infected genital areas turns them white, which may help flat lesions show up.

  • Pap smear: a sample of cells from the cervix or vagina goes to a lab to look for changes that can lead to cancer.

  • DNA test: testing cells from the cervix identifies the DNA of HPV types linked to genital cancers. It is recommended with a Pap test for women 30 and older.

How HPV infection is diagnosed: visual exam, vinegar acetic acid test, Pap smear, and HPV DNA test

Figure 2: The routes to diagnosing HPV. A visual exam may be enough for visible warts, while the vinegar test, Pap smear, and DNA test find infections that don't show.

Treatment: There Is No Cure for the Virus, but Warts Can Be Removed

Warts often go away without treatment, particularly in children. But there is no cure for the virus, so warts can come back in the same place or in other places.

Medicines Applied to Warts

Medicines to get rid of warts usually go directly on the warts and might need to be used many times before the warts go away.

  • Salicylic acid: a nonprescription treatment that removes layers of a wart a little at a time. It is used for common warts, can irritate skin, and is not for use on the face.

  • Imiquimod (Zyclara): a prescription cream that may help the immune system fight HPV. A common side effect is swelling where it's applied.

  • Podofilox (Condylox): a prescription medicine applied to the skin that kills genital wart tissue. It may cause burning and itching where applied.

  • Trichloroacetic acid: a chemical treatment that burns off warts, used on palms, soles, and genitals. It might cause irritation.

Surgical and Other Procedures

If medicines don't work, one of these methods can remove warts: cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), electrocautery (burning with an electrical current), surgical removal (cutting the wart out), or laser surgery (using a laser to destroy the wart).

Treatment for HPV Changes in the Cervix

In a procedure called a colposcopy, a healthcare professional uses a tool called a colposcope to look closely at the cervix and takes tissue samples (a biopsy) from areas that look atypical. Precancerous lesions need to be removed, and the options include:

  • Cryosurgery: freezing to remove lesions.

  • Laser surgical removal: using a laser to remove lesions.

  • LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure): a thin looped wire charged with an electric current removes a thin layer of a section of the cervix.

  • Cold knife conization: a surgical procedure that removes a cone-shaped piece of the cervix.

Prevention: Vaccines, Condoms, and Everyday Habits

Warts From Casual Contact

It's hard to prevent HPV infections that cause common warts. If you have a common wart, you can prevent the spread of the infection and keep new warts from forming by not picking at a wart and not biting your nails. To lower the risk of plantar warts, wear flip-flops or other shoes on public pool decks and in locker rooms.

Genital Warts

Lower the risk of getting genital warts and other HPV-related genital sores by having only one sex partner who's not having sex with anyone else (a monogamous relationship), and by using a latex condom during sex, which might lower the risk of HPV.

The HPV Vaccine

Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It can be used for males and females to protect against cervical cancer and genital warts. The vaccine works best if a person gets it before having the first sexual contact. Once someone has HPV, the vaccine might not work as well or at all, and younger people respond better to the vaccine than older people do. If given before someone has HPV infection, the vaccine can prevent most cervical cancers.

  • Starting at ages 9 to 14: two doses, given at least five months apart (recommended at ages 11 and 12).

  • Starting at ages 15 to 26: three doses.

How to prevent HPV infection: vaccine timing, safer sex, foot protection, and wart care habits

Figure 3: Four prevention paths for HPV. Vaccination before first sexual contact is the strongest shield, while foot protection and not picking warts reduce common and plantar wart risk.

Conclusion: Prevention and Screening Beat HPV

HPV is one of the most common viral infections, with more than 100 types that range from harmless warts to cancer-causing strains. The immune system defeats most infections on its own, the vaccine prevents the most dangerous strains, and screening catches cervical changes long before they become cancer. If you notice any warts that cause discomfort, embarrassment, or pain, for yourself or your child, see a healthcare professional. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you or your family members should get the HPV vaccine, and make sure you're on the right cervical screening schedule for your age.

Related reading: genital warts, anal warts, and oral HPV.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an HPV infection?

HPV infection is a viral infection caused by the human papillomavirus, which has more than 100 types. Some types cause skin growths called warts, while others can cause cancers of the cervix, anus, throat, and other sites. It spreads mainly through skin-to-skin contact, including sex.

What do HPV warts look like?

HPV causes four types of warts. Genital warts appear flat, cauliflower-like, or as tiny stemlike bumps. Common warts are rough, raised bumps on the hands. Plantar warts are hard, grainy growths on the heels or balls of the feet. Flat warts are smooth, slightly raised lesions, most often on the face or legs.

Does HPV always cause cancer?

No. Most HPV infections don't lead to cancer, and the immune system usually defeats an infection before it creates warts. But some genital HPV types can cause cervical cancer, and certain strains are linked to cancers of the anus, genitals, mouth, and upper respiratory tract.

How long does it take for HPV to cause cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer may take 20 years or longer to develop after an HPV infection. Because HPV infection and early cervical cancer typically cause no symptoms, regular screening tests are vital for finding cervical changes before they turn cancerous.

When should I get screened for cervical cancer?

Under current U.S. guidelines described by Mayo Clinic, women ages 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every three years. Women 30 to 65 should have a Pap test every three years, or every five years if combined with an HPV DNA test. Women over 65 can stop testing after three regular Pap tests in a row or two regular combined tests.

Is there a cure for HPV?

There is no cure for the virus itself. Warts often go away without treatment, particularly in children, but they can come back in the same place or other places. Treatments remove warts and precancerous lesions rather than eliminating the infection.

How is HPV diagnosed?

Visible warts can often be diagnosed by looking at them. Hidden genital infections may need a vinegar (acetic acid) solution test that turns infected areas white, a Pap smear to check cervical cells for cancer-causing changes, or a DNA test, which is recommended with a Pap test for women 30 and older.

How are warts treated?

Treatments include nonprescription salicylic acid for common warts, and prescription medicines such as imiquimod, podofilox, and trichloroacetic acid. If medicines don't work, procedures such as cryotherapy (freezing), electrocautery, surgical removal, or laser surgery can remove warts.

Who should get the HPV vaccine and when?

The vaccine works best before first sexual contact. Two doses are recommended for children ages 11 and 12 (it can be given as young as 9), at least five months apart, through age 14. Teens and young adults who start the series at ages 15 through 26 should get three doses.

Can I catch HPV from a public shower or pool?

Touching someone's warts might increase your risk of HPV infection, and so can touching surfaces that have been infected with HPV, such as public showers or swimming pools. Wearing flip-flops on public pool decks and in locker rooms lowers the risk of plantar warts.

Medical Disclaimer

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition.

Source date: September 19, 2025.

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