How to distinguish between common warts and genital warts

Jun 18, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health
Disease description:

I have a wart on my arm, and my friend said it's a common wart, but I suspect it might be a genital wart (condyloma acuminatum). How can I tell whether it's a common wart or a genital wart?

Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Xiaoyan
Common warts and genital warts can be differentiated and identified based on the following aspects: 1. **Location**: Common warts primarily occur on the hands, feet, and surrounding areas, such as fingers, back of the hand, and edges of the feet. In contrast, genital warts mainly develop in the genital region, including male genitalia and female external genitalia. 2. **Clinical Presentation**: Common warts typically appear as flat papules that are grayish-brown, brown, or skin-colored, with a rough surface and obvious keratosis. Genital warts, on the other hand, present as cauliflower-like or cockscomb-like growths, usually white, pink, or dirty gray in color. 3. **Medical Examination and Diagnosis**: If in doubt, individuals should visit a hospital for medical evaluation using tools such as dermoscopy or histopathological examination to accurately determine whether the lesion is a common wart or a genital wart. There are clear differences between common warts and genital warts in terms of location and clinical features. Medical examinations enable more accurate differentiation and diagnosis.