Flat warts?

I'm a seventeen year old guy. I've had a wart-like growth on my thumb for about a year, but I didn't know much about it or worry much about it. I got concerned when similar, but smaller, growths appeared elsewhere on my hand in a few places, and I found out they were flat warts.

First, all the articles I have read suggest that flat warts usually appear on the face. I tried to examine my face, and I don't notice anything quite like what is on my hand, but I have some very mild acne and some facial hair, so I can't be sure - if there are flat warts on my face, should I worry about spreading them to people through intimate contact?

Second, is it possible that these warts could spread to my genitals? If so, how likely would such a spread be, and what can I do to prevent it?

And finally, other than those concerns, the only real concerns for warts seem to be cosmetic. Like I said, I never noticed anything on my face before, and I'm not a hand model, so is there any reason to be worried about these, or should I just wait until they're gone?

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
Warts are common, and are caused by a viral infection, specifically by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious when in contact with the skin of an infected person. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects.
A flat wart is  a small, smooth flattened wart, tan or flesh coloured, which can occur in large numbers; most common on the face, neck, hands, wrists and knees.
They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can recur.
There are several over-the-counter options. The most common ones involve salicylic acid available at drugstores and supermarkets as adhesive pads treated with salicylic acid.
Another over-the-counter product that can aid in wart removal is silver nitrate in the form of a caustic pencil.Curettage ,cryosurgery, laser surgery are also options.
ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warts
Genital warts or venereal warts is a highly contagious sexually transmitted infection caused by some sub-types of human papillomavirus (HPV). It is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner.
This can be acquired only through sexual contact.