The Things I've Learned...

As I was staring at one of my two warts the other day I started to wonder where I got them. You see I'm currently trying to get rid of them and they have been quite resilient. Anyway, all of this made me think, do warts really come from Toads? I know I haven't been in contact with a toad for a while so I am sure I haven't gotten my warts from there but that made me wonder this all the same.

Well, I looked it up and as it turns out, the whole toads give you warts thing is just an urban legend or old wives tale. It probably comes from the fact that toads have what appears to be warts all over them. They are not warts but are mearly bumps in their skin that help them to blend in with their surroundings. Many species of toads are also poisonous to some degree. Their skin can produce a toxin that makes animals who try and eat them think twice about what they have in their mouths. Some people have a reaction to this chemical but most people are unaffected by it (unless it gets in your eyes then it can burn).

So anyway, toads do not give you warts. They are safe and cool little creatures. Oh, and if you have warts like I do, I found that there are two really good ways to get rid of them. The first method, the cheaper but longer procedure, is to use Salicylic Acid. The second method, the quicker working but more expensive one, is to use a product that freezes them. Both products should be available at your local pharmacy.

For more information on Toads, see http://www.naturehaven.com/Frog/toad.html
For more information on Warts, see http://www.londondrugs.com/Cultures/en-US/FocusOnHealth/Fall2002/Warts.htm

2006/08/22 Update : Another great Toad page here: Cortland Herpetology Connection: Frog/Toad Pictures (pic above is from this page)