Flat Wart:
A parent's guide to condition and treatment information

A flat wart, or verruca plana, is a form of wart (verruca). Warts are common growths caused by an infection of the surface (superficial) skin with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which thickens the top skin layer. Warts are usually harmless and painless, and many go away on their own after months to years. In fact, two thirds of warts are gone within 2 years of their appearance.

Warts are passed to humans by person-to-person contact or, rarely, by touching an object used by an infected person. Warts are not highly contagious and usually require a small break in the skin to become infected.

Flat warts tend to stay small in size, but they can be numerous in quantity. Flat warts often spread to other places on the body by scratching or shaving.