Ketuat (warts) are small, firm, rough lumps on the skin caused by a virus; they are harmless and usually go away on their own, although this can take months or years. They are common on the hands and fingers, while warts on the soles are called verrucas (ketuat kaki). They spread through skin contact and contaminated surfaces. Pharmacy salicylic acid treatments help modestly, and a doctor can freeze stubborn warts. Genital warts (ketuat kelamin) are a sexually transmitted infection that should be checked and treated at a clinic. Do not cut, burn or pick warts yourself.
What is ketuat (a wart)?
Ketuat is the Malay word for a wart. According to the NHS, warts and verrucas are small lumps on the skin that most people have at some point in their life. They:
- feel firm and rough;
- are usually skin-coloured, but may look darker on brown or black skin;
- commonly appear on the palms, knuckles, fingers and knees;
- are not harmful, although some people find them itchy, painful or embarrassing;
- usually go away on their own, but this may take months or even years.
What are the types of ketuat?
According to the NHS, the main types of warts are:
| Type | What it looks like | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Common wart | Firm, rough, skin-coloured lump | Palms, knuckles, fingers (ketuat di jari), knees |
| Verruca (ketuat kaki) | Hard skin with tiny black dots underneath; can hurt like standing on a needle | Soles of the feet |
| Plane warts | Round, flat and sometimes yellow | You can have many of them |
| Mosaic warts | Clusters of warts spread over an area of skin | Common on the feet and hands |
| Genital warts (ketuat kelamin) | Small, rough lumps, alone or in groups that can look like a cauliflower | Around the vagina, penis or anus |
Punca ketuat: what causes warts and how do they spread?
According to the NHS, warts and verrucas are caused by a virus (the human papillomavirus, or HPV):
- they can spread to other people through close skin contact or from contaminated surfaces, such as shared towels or wet floors;
- you are more likely to spread a wart if your skin is wet or damaged;
- it can take months for a wart to appear after contact with the virus;
- scratching or picking a wart, biting nails with warts on them, or cutting a wart while shaving can help spread it.
Ketuat kelamin: what are genital warts?
Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by HPV. According to the NHS:
- they are small, rough lumps around the vagina, penis, anus or the skin between the genitals and anus; they can be white, red, skin-coloured or darker, and may be soft or firm;
- they often cause no symptoms, but can sometimes be painful, itchy or bleed;
- they can take weeks to many months to appear after infection, and the virus can be passed on even when there are no visible warts;
- they are spread mainly through skin-to-skin sexual contact; you cannot get them from kissing or from sharing towels, cups or toilet seats.
Treatment is not always needed, as genital warts sometimes disappear on their own within 6 months. If treatment is recommended, it must be prescribed by a doctor and may include creams or liquids, freezing, or removal under local anaesthetic. It may take weeks or months to work, and warts can come back. Do not use pharmacy wart treatments on genital warts, as they are not made for them.
To reduce the risk of passing them on, use a condom every time you have sex (although HPV on skin not covered by a condom can still spread), avoid sex during treatment, and tell current partners, who may need checking. Some HPV vaccines also protect against the HPV types that cause genital warts; see our guide to Pap smear and HPV test in Malaysia for more on HPV. If you are pregnant, tell your doctor, as some treatments are not suitable in pregnancy.
Ketuat, skin tag or mole: how can you tell?
Not every skin lump is a wart. According to the NHS:
| Wart (ketuat) | Skin tag | Mole | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | Firm, raised, rough surface | Soft; can look like it is hanging off the skin | Usually flat |
| Colour | Usually skin-coloured | Skin-coloured or a little darker | Pink, light brown, brown or darker brown |
| Common places | Hands and feet | Where skin rubs or folds: neck, armpits, eyelids, under the breasts, around the bottom | Areas of skin exposed to the sun |
Do not try to remove a skin tag or any other growth yourself unless a doctor recommends it, as this risks infection, bleeding and scarring. If a lump is changing, bleeding or you are not sure what it is, see a doctor. For other skin problems, see our guides to gatal kulit and kurap and panau.
Cara hilangkan ketuat: which treatments work?
You do not have to treat warts, but you can if they bother you, keep coming back or are painful. According to the NHS:
- Pharmacy treatments: creams, plasters and sprays for warts and verrucas. They can take up to 3 months, may irritate your skin and do not always work. Do not use them on your face.
- Freezing (cryotherapy): a doctor may freeze a wart so it falls off a few weeks later; it sometimes takes a few sessions.
- Specialist treatment: if treatment has not worked or the wart is on your face, you may be referred to a dermatologist; a large or very painful verruca may need a foot specialist, who can use stronger medicines, freezing or surgery.
What does the evidence say? A Cochrane review of 85 trials of treatments for non-genital warts found that:
- salicylic acid cleared more warts than placebo, but the effect was only modest;
- freezing was not clearly better than placebo or salicylic acid overall, although one trial found it better for hand warts, and side effects such as pain, blistering and scarring are probably more common;
- combining salicylic acid with freezing appeared more effective than salicylic acid alone;
- duct tape showed no advantage over placebo in two trials.
So patience is part of treatment: many warts clear on their own, and treatments speed this up only somewhat.
How can you stop warts spreading?
The NHS suggests these steps to stop warts and verrucas spreading:
- wash your hands after touching a wart or verruca;
- change your socks daily if you have a verruca;
- cover warts and verrucas with a plaster when swimming;
- take care not to cut a wart when shaving;
- do not share towels, flannels, socks or shoes;
- do not bite your nails or suck fingers with warts on them;
- do not walk barefoot in public places if you have a verruca;
- do not scratch or pick a wart.
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor, according to the NHS, if:
- you are worried about a growth on your skin;
- a wart or verruca keeps coming back;
- a wart or verruca is very large or painful;
- a wart bleeds or changes in how it looks;
- you have a wart on your face or genitals.
For possible genital warts, or if a sexual partner has them, go to a doctor or clinic that offers sexual health checks, even if you are not sure you have them.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is ketuat in English?
Ketuat is the Malay word for a wart: a small, firm, rough lump on the skin caused by a virus, the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts on the soles of the feet are called verrucas (ketuat kaki), and warts around the genitals or anus are called genital warts (ketuat kelamin).
What causes ketuat (punca ketuat)?
Warts and verrucas are caused by a virus. They can spread to other people through close skin contact or from contaminated surfaces, and you are more likely to spread them if your skin is wet or damaged. It can take months for a wart to appear after contact with the virus. Genital warts are caused by HPV passed on mainly through sexual skin-to-skin contact.
Do warts go away on their own?
Usually, yes. According to the NHS, warts and verrucas usually go away on their own, but it may take months or even years. You only need to treat them if they bother you, keep coming back or are painful. Genital warts sometimes disappear on their own within 6 months, but you should still get them checked at a clinic.
What is the best ubat ketuat?
For common warts and verrucas, pharmacies sell creams, plasters and sprays, which can take up to 3 months and may irritate the skin. A Cochrane review found that salicylic acid treatments work better than placebo, but only modestly. A doctor can freeze a wart (cryotherapy). Do not use pharmacy wart treatments on your face or on genital warts.
How do I get rid of ketuat kaki (verrucas)?
Pharmacy treatments such as salicylic acid creams or plasters can be used on verrucas, but they take time and do not always work. A large or very painful verruca may need a doctor or foot specialist, who can freeze it or use stronger treatments. Meanwhile, change your socks daily, cover it when swimming and do not walk barefoot in public places.
Are genital warts (ketuat kelamin) dangerous?
Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection caused by HPV. They are not usually harmful, but they should be checked and treated at a clinic, not with pharmacy wart treatments. A sexual partner may need checking too. Using a condom reduces, but does not fully prevent, the spread of the virus, and some HPV vaccines also protect against the types that cause genital warts.
Is it safe to cut or burn off a wart at home?
No. The NHS advises not to scratch, pick or cut warts, as this can spread them, and not to remove skin growths yourself because of the risk of infection, bleeding and scarring. See a doctor if a wart bleeds, changes in appearance, is on your face or genitals, or if you are not sure the growth is a wart.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor or pharmacist. Health supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
