Image: Supplied by Kroko

3 reasons children are more prone to warts… And how to treat them

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The summer holidays mean more time spent outdoors, swimming in the pool, and playing with friends …but it also means more chances of warts for kids. While adults are not immune to contracting warts, they occur more frequently in children for several reasons.

“It’s estimated that around a third of children or teenagers will contract warts, but the number is significantly lower once you reach adulthood,” noted Lynsey Hammond, MD of Kroko, manufacturers of quality foot and hand care products. “This means that if you’re a parent or caregiver, you’re likely going to have to treat warts at some point. Summertime is generally the worst season in terms of viral spread because they thrive in the heat and humidity, but fortunately, they’re easily treated.”

Hammond explains why children are more prone to the wart virus.

1.       More frequent exposure

As the temperatures rise in summer, children are likely to visit swimming pools, or use locker rooms and other public facilities more often. They’re also more likely to share items like towels and socks – knowingly or not – and it’s in these areas that the wart virus thrives.

2.       More time barefoot

Many schools allow children to run around barefoot in the daytime, and children are also more likely to go barefoot during the summer holidays than adults. Small nicks or scrapes while barefoot are a direct pathway for the wart virus to enter the body.  

3.       Developing immune systems

Children’s immune systems are still developing, and at the same time, they’re coming into contact with germs more often than adults. Because a child’s immune system is not as resilient as an adult’s, they can’t necessarily fight off the viral infection that causes warts.

How do you treat warts?

All warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which has more than 100 different strains. While warts may go away on their own, they can be quickly and easily treated with an at-home solution like Kroko WartFix. This is a tried-and-tested solution for common wart removal which is both cost-effective and simple.

Kroko WartFix is a flexible liquid application which forms a waterproof covering over the wart. It must be applied directly to the wart, not the surrounding skin. This can be reapplied twice a day until the wart has cleared or falls off which usually takes up to two weeks. For more information, visit www.kroko.co.za