Warts and CallusesThe questions below were raised by visitors to the STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) website in the AskST section of the website. eMenders doctors provided the answers to the questions raised as a public health education project. The information provided below is of a general nature and should not be treated as a replacement for medical advice. You should seek consultation from a medical or healthcare professional about your specific medical condition.
Question:
What is the difference between a wart and a callus? And how do I tell them apart?
Answer:
A wart is due to a viral infection with the Human Papilloma Virus, and is contagious. A callus is formed by layers of dead skin and is due to pressure and friction. Calluses are not contagious. The surface of a wart is rough, while that of a callus is smooth.
Warts can occur anywhere on the skin, whereas calluses develop over skin sites subjected to repeated pressure. Common sites for calluses are the fingers, ankles and feet.
DR. LEE CHUI THO is a Consultant Dermatologist at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and was previously the Assistant Medical Director and Consultant Dermatologist at the National Skin Centre.