Warts are caused by contact with the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Warts are skin growths that may appear on various parts of the body and may take several different shapes or appearances depending on the type of wart.

Avoiding Contact

The best way to avoid warts is to avoid contact with the human papillomavirus. This may be difficult in some cases, as most sexually active adults have been exposed to HPV at some point. Even a person who does not have visible warts but is carrying the virus may spread the virus. However, by taking a few precautions to avoid contact with the virus, one may reduce their chances of developing warts.

Some prevention pointers include:

•    Avoid touching your or others' warts
•    Avoid sharing personal items with others such as towels, shoes, socks, etc.
•    Do not walk barefoot in locker rooms, communal showers or in other warm, damp public areas
•    Keep warts covered with a bandage

Vaccination

Gardasil is an immunization against four types of HPV that are most commonly linked to cervical cancer in women. It is approved by the FDA and has shown to be effective in preventing cervical cancer and genital warts. While it is nearly impossible to avoid human contact completely, taking precaution to avoid touching others' or your own warts, never sharing personal items and avoiding walking barefoot through damp public areas may go a long way in avoiding warts.