Hand Warts

There they are — small, rough bumps on your hands, your fingers. Warts. They don't hurt, at least not physically. But they bother you. You hide your hands, pull them under the table, push them into your pockets. You feel ashamed — not because of the warts themselves, but because of what they make visible: something about you that you don't want to show.

Dermatology explains warts as a viral infection — human papillomaviruses penetrate the skin and trigger benign growths. This explanation is correct. But it only answers half the question. The other half is: why there? Why on the hands — the part of the body with which you grasp, shape, touch, reach out into the world? And why now, at this phase of your life?

Hand warts are not a cosmetic problem, but a commentary from your body about the way you see yourself — and how you show yourself to the world.