Psychosomatics of warts
Warts are small firm growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus. Most people get them at least once, usually on fingers, knees and feet. Warts are harmless and often go away on their own, but it can take months or years. If they bother you, they can be treated with pharmacy products or removed by a doctor. Show a doctor a wart on your face or genitals, or one that bleeds or changes. The Ladder method adds questions about what you feel ashamed to show.
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When to see a doctor
A GP or dermatologist usually recognises a wart on examination. If treatment does not work or the wart is on your face, you need a dermatologist; for a large painful verruca, a foot specialist (podiatrist). The NHS also advises seeing a doctor if a wart keeps coming back.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method warts are not explained as "you don't love yourself", and you are not to blame for getting them. They are caused by a virus spread through contact. Questions to yourself belong alongside treatment, not instead of it.
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In the method the skin fits the image of a boundary and of what others see: you want to hide a wart on your hand. It is an image, not the cause, and it does not replace an examination by a doctor.
On the ladder this shows up as the steps "I'm ashamed to show my hands" and "something is wrong with me". You can work through them while you are being treated.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
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How it shows up
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- A firm rough growth on fingers, hands or knees
- A painful hard spot on the sole with black dots
- Flat smooth bumps, sometimes many
- Several warts close together merging into a patch
- Itching or pain when pressed
What medicine knows
Warts are harmless growths on the skin. The NHS says most people have them at some point in their life. Common warts are firm and rough, usually on fingers, knuckles and knees. On the foot there are verrucas with tiny black dots under hard skin: walking on one can feel like standing on a needle.
They are caused by the human papillomavirus (MedlinePlus). It spreads through close skin contact and shared surfaces, towels and shoes. You are more likely to catch it if your skin is wet or damaged. A wart can appear months after contact (NHS).
Many warts go away on their own, but it takes months or even years. In children they go more often, in adults they often stay (MedlinePlus). What helps according to the NHS: pharmacy creams, plasters and sprays for up to 3 months, which do not always work and are not used on the face. A doctor can freeze a wart, sometimes over several sessions.
To stop warts spreading: wash your hands after touching them, do not pick or scratch them, do not bite your nails, do not share towels or shoes, do not walk barefoot at the pool or in shared showers, cover a wart with a plaster when swimming. Genital warts are a separate topic, treated by a gynecologist or a sexual health doctor.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can warts be caused by nerves?
No, warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, which spreads through skin contact and shared things (NHS, MedlinePlus). Stress does not create them. If a wart bothers you, a doctor or pharmacist can suggest treatment.
What do warts mean in psychosomatics?
There is no proven "meaning". In the Ladder method warts become a reason to ask yourself what you are ashamed to show others. It is a question to yourself, not a diagnosis.
When should I see a doctor about a wart?
If it bleeds or changes, appears on your face or genitals, is very large or painful, keeps coming back, or you are not sure it is a wart (NHS).
Related topics
Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.