A: Moles and warts are two entirely different things. Moles are growths on the skin composed of melanocytes-cells in the epidermis that produce the pigment melanin and give skin its natural color-whereas warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). For this reason, warts are contagious and can be spread through direct contact with HPV; there are more than 60 kinds of HPV, some of which lead to warts on the skin. The types that cause these benign skin warts do not cause cancer. HPV stimulates quick growth of cells on the skin’s outer layer. In most cases, common warts appear on the fingers. hands, feet, and toes (but they really can crop up anywhere). Certain types of HPV also can cause warts to appear in the genital area or cause genital cancers, particularly cervical cancer. Different subtypes of HPV, however, cause genital warts than cause cervical cancer. Genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States.
There are plenty of treatments for benign skin warts, and over-the-counter wart removal kits work well for most people. For a troubling wart, a dermatologist can prescribe a cream like Aldara, remove it through freezing (cryotherapy), minor surgery, or apply of a chemical substance that literally kills off the wart.
You won’t find over-the-counter kits for removing moles, on the other hand. These usually require minor surgery, and you could be trading a mole for a scar. Very few moles become cancer, but because moles often result from sun exposure (the sun triggers the melanocytes to produce more pigment), it’s important to keep an eye on them and get any checked out that look different from the others. About one out of every ten people has at least one unusual mole that looks different from an ordinary mole. The medical term for these atypical moles is dysplastic nevi, and while they are not cancer themselves, they can become cancer. People with these types of moles are more likely to develop melanoma. Approximately 20 percent of melanomas start in a mole (but this doesn’t mean that 20 percent of moles turn into melanomas). Remember, moles can be beauty marks. Don’t ever try to take off a mole or, for that matter, a birthmark yourself! See a doctor before doing any self surgery in the bathroom.
