Wart, Verruca or Skin Tag? How to Tell the Difference

Warts, verrucae and skin tags can look surprisingly similar at a glance, but they're genuinely different things — caused differently, appearing in different places, and not always treated the same way. Here's how to tell them apart.

Warts

A wart is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and is contagious — it can spread through direct contact, or via contaminated surfaces like towels or shared flooring. Common warts tend to be firm, raised, and rough or cauliflower-like in texture, often appearing on the hands, knuckles or fingers, though they can occur almost anywhere.

Verrucae

A verruca is really just the everyday name for a wart on the sole of the foot — same virus, different location. Because they're on a weight-bearing area, verrucae are often flattened rather than raised, and can be identified by tiny black dots in the centre (these are small clotted blood vessels, not "roots"). A useful test: verrucae tend to hurt when squeezed from the sides, whereas a corn — often mistaken for one — hurts more under direct pressure.

Skin tags

Skin tags are a different thing entirely — they're not caused by a virus at all, and aren't contagious. They're small, soft growths formed from the body's own collagen fibres and blood vessels, usually hanging off the skin by a narrow stalk. They're most common in areas where skin rubs against itself — the neck, armpits, groin and eyelids — and tend to feel smooth and soft rather than rough.

A quick way to tell them apart

• Texture: warts and verrucae are typically rough or hard; skin tags are soft and smooth
• Shape: warts and verrucae are usually flat or firmly raised; skin tags hang off a thin stalk
• Location: verrucae specifically appear on the soles of the feet; skin tags favour skin folds
• Spread: warts and verrucae can spread via contact; skin tags don't spread at all

When to get it checked rather than guess

Most of these lesions are harmless, but self-diagnosis has limits. Anything that changes shape, bleeds, grows quickly, or simply doesn't match the descriptions above is worth having properly assessed rather than treated at home — occasionally, other skin conditions can look similar to a trained eye but aren't.

Treatment with Cryopen

Once a lesion has been properly assessed, Cryopen offers a precise, non-invasive way to treat warts, verrucae and skin tags using a fine, controlled freeze — more accurate and generally more comfortable than traditional cryotherapy sprays. If anything looks atypical during assessment, we'll always recommend further investigation rather than proceeding straight to treatment.