Warts are flat, keratinized, benign growths caused by the human papillomavirus.This fairly common disease most often occurs in children and adolescents and is an epidermal tumor with a diameter of several millimeters to several centimeters.
Warts can affect the skin of the hands, feet and face, as well as the mucous membranes and genitals.This disease is very contagious: it spreads quickly and is transmitted from one person to another.When injured, warts become painful and may change their color and shape.In addition, such neoplasms create a certain psychological discomfort and are a cosmetic defect.Incorrect treatment can lead to the formation of rough scars and scars.In some cases, warts can develop into malignant tumors.
Cause of warts and pathogenesis
Warts are caused by a filterable virus.It cannot be examined under a microscope or “caught” by bacterial filters.These viruses include the human papillomavirus (HPV).Anyone can become infected with it, but there are people who are more at risk of infection than others.To date, more than 120 human papillomaviruses have been studied.It is known that the cause of warts is viruses of types 2 and 4.These types of viruses are especially associated with the appearance of warts on the hands.
Constant use of a sauna, swimming pool, public beach or gym can cause HPV infection.In addition, if a person’s professional activity involves periodic contact with fresh meat or fish, then he cannot feel safe.
You can become infected both through contact with a carrier of the virus, and through household means by sharing household items with an infected person.Warts spread especially quickly in children's groups (kindergartens, schools, sports sections, etc.).Predisposing factors are considered to be maceration (natural swelling of the epidermis, which occurs in people of certain professions) or minor skin injuries.The incubation period can last from 5-6 to 16 weeks.As a rule, infection with the human papillomavirus is asymptomatic and often goes unnoticed by the patient.
But what is the common cause of warts appearing on the fingers?Without a doubt, human fingers are the most traumatized area of the body, through which the virus is so quickly and easily transmitted, which causes the appearance of warts.Contact with a carrier of the virus (essentially the cause of warts) occurs through a handshake or touching handrails or railings in public places.An interesting fact is that a person infected with such a virus may not even be aware of its presence.He finds out about it when a wart appears.In addition, the cause of warts is often reduced human immunity.As practice shows, even if a person manages to strengthen his immunity, warts do not disappear anywhere, since the virus continues to live in the blood, causing the reappearance of warts.
Types of warts
In dermatology, it is customary to distinguish between common, plantar, senile and flat (juvenile) warts.Each type of wart has its own characteristic features.
Ordinary type
Common warts externally look like non-inflamed nodules of small size and dense consistency.Common warts are flattened or hemispherical in shape and may be slightly dark or the color of normal skin.Most often, such warts are localized on the hands, palms, face and other areas of the skin.In most cases, these tumors are painless.The exception is warts located in the nail area.They will be quite painful and difficult to treat.Typically, the appearance of such warts occurs in childhood.
Causes of common warts
What are the reasons for the appearance of common warts in children?It's simple: the cause of a wart can be an ordinary scratch or abrasion, through which the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters the skin.Having penetrated the body, the virus begins to actively multiply, concentrating mainly in the basal layer of the skin, which causes the first warts to appear after a month or two.It is important to note that the appearance of a wart may not be a mandatory symptom of the development of this virus in a child’s body.If a child has a strong immune system, then he may not be able to reach an extremely severe form of the disease, in which warts appear one after another.The virus will simply live in the body, without showing itself in any way outwardly.
If we have found out the reasons for the appearance of common warts, we should now talk about the symptomatic features.As you know, such warts usually appear on the back of the hand or foot.An ordinary wart has a round shape, the size of which does not exceed 10 mm.An important feature of this type of wart is its multiple nature: the occurrence of one can affect the formation of a second wart, and in the future their number will only increase.
Another interesting fact is that the causes of the appearance of warts of the vulgar type are the warts themselves.This means that next to one vulgar wart a second one often appears.The latter is popularly called a “kissing” wart.
Plantar type
Plantar warts can appear in both adults and children.Because plantar warts are not immediately detected, they are difficult to treat.Such neoplasms are localized in areas of greatest pressure.They interfere with a person’s walking, are quite painful and can grow to the size of a chicken egg.Sometimes patients mistake keratinized plantar warts for calluses or skin abrasions.A wart differs from a callus in the presence of papillary growths.
Type of flat warts
Flat juvenile warts are small epidermal tumors of small size, yellowish or pale pink in color.Most often, such warts appear on the patient’s forehead, chin or cheeks, as well as on the neck and hands (usually on the back).There are two types of juvenile warts - filiform and flat papillomas, localized on the mucous membranes
Type of senile warts
Senile warts affect patients of both sexes over the age of 40 years.Localization of the pathological process occurs in closed areas of the skin: abdomen, back and chest.Senile warts are flat in shape and covered with characteristic scales.If the scales are removed, papillary growths become visible.
Diagnosis of warts
Diagnosing warts is not particularly difficult for an experienced dermatologist.Such tumors have characteristic external signs, so it is difficult to confuse them with something else.However, the common wart must be differentiated from keratoma, nevus, tuberculous skin lesions, warty basal cell carcinoma, polyps, calluses, skin cancer and other dermatological diseases.
To definitively confirm the differential diagnosis, the patient may be prescribed additional blood tests for human papillomavirus (HPV).This study is carried out using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.
Treatment of warts
Before starting therapy, you should definitely consult a doctor.Only a specialist can make the correct differential diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.There are many “grandmother’s recipes” for warts, but trying them on yourself is not only not wise, but also very dangerous for your health, because a wart is not just a cosmetic defect, but a very serious disease.
Treatment of various warts is aimed at its removal.The method of wart destruction is chosen individually, taking into account the location and nature of the pathological process.Often warts are multiple in nature, but it is often enough to remove one “mother” tumor and then all the others disappear on their own over time.Warts whose treatment with conservative methods has proven ineffective are subject to destruction.
Basic methods of wart destruction
There are a number of progressive methods used to destroy warts.The most effective among them are the following:
- Cryodestruction.This method is based on applying liquid nitrogen or dry ice directly to the wart.The damaged area of skin is frozen, after which it is rejected.When exposed to extremely low temperatures, the virus completely dies and the wart is destroyed.This method is painless, and postoperative scars are almost invisible.If the wart is large or the patient has a very high sensitivity threshold, then the doctor may decide to use local anesthesia.After the operation, a black crust forms at the site of the wart, which under no circumstances should be removed.After 4-5 weeks it will be rejected on its own.If the wart was very large, then after 3-4 weeks the affected area is re-treated.
- Electrocoagulation.This method involves burning out the tumor with an electric current.Electrocoagulation is used in hard-to-reach areas and can be used to remove warts on mucous membranes.The disadvantages include a relatively large list of contraindications: violation of the general somatic condition, individual intolerance to anesthetics, inflammatory skin diseases, etc.
- Laser destruction of warts.This is the most progressive method of removing warts of any kind.The duration of the operation is only a few minutes.The postoperative wound heals quickly and does not require special care.After the operation, no traces of the wart remain.There are no age restrictions; this method can also be used to treat warts in young children.
- Surgical excision of warts.It is used less and less, only to remove particularly large warts.The method is quite painful, accompanied by heavy bleeding, and the postoperative wound often does not heal well, leaving a scar.
- X-ray irradiation.This method is used to treat plantar warts.
However, treatment of warts can be not only surgical, but also medicinal.Today, for the treatment of various types of warts, there are a number of topical medications that can destroy the structure of the wart, thereby corresponding to local treatment.Often, treatment of warts is possible with the help of a special ointment, which will quickly and painlessly eliminate the wart.
Treatment of warts is, first of all, the destruction of the formed growth on the surface of the skin.Drug treatment corresponds to drugs that can be classified into several groups:
- Necrotizing;
- Keratolytics (a number of drugs that help treat the wart by melting it).
- Components for cryotherapy.
- Various antiviral drugs.
- Drugs that can enhance immunity.
Treatment of warts using the above remedies may not give an immediate effect.Repeated use of medication may be required to eliminate a wart.However, in a number of other cases, treatment of warts is not necessary at all - after a while they go away on their own.
According to statistics, self-healing occurs no later than 2 months after the first wart appears (about 20-22% of all cases) or 3 months (30% of cases).If we are talking about an older wart, then most likely self-healing will occur after 2 years (and this is 50% of cases).Adults are least likely to respond to self-treatment.Treatment of warts in adults is facilitated by medications or surgical procedures.
Treating a wart can be complicated by its unpredictable behavior.The reason for such complicated treatment may be a late visit to the doctor, when the wart swelled in size, it changed shape or color.Usually, a second one soon appears near one wart, and then their number increases, which also complicates treatment.
If wart therapy is carried out correctly, this will lead either to the complete disappearance of the wart, or to a gradual disappearance.At the same time, you don’t have to be afraid of a new wart that appears.