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 highly contagious: it spreads quickly and is transmitted from one person to another.When injured, warts become painful and can change color and shape.In addition, such neoplasms create a certain psychological discomfort and are a cosmetic defect.Improper treatment can lead to the formation of rough scars and scars.In some cases, warts can turn into malignant tumors.
Cause of warts and pathogenesis
Warts are caused by a filterable virus.It cannot be examined under a microscope or "captured" by bacterial filters.These viruses include the human papillomavirus (HPV).Anyone can get it, but there are some people who are more at risk of getting it than others.To date, more than 120 human papillomaviruses have been studied.Warts are known to be caused by viruses of type 2 and 4. These types of viruses are particularly 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 includes 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, 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 that occurs in people with certain professions) or minor skin injuries.The incubation period can last from 5-6 to 16 weeks.As a rule, infection with the human papilloma virus is asymptomatic and often goes unnoticed by the patient.
But what is the most common cause of finger warts?Without a doubt, the human fingers are the most traumatized area of the body through which the virus is transmitted so quickly and easily, causing the appearance of warts.Contact with a carrier of the virus (essentially the cause of warts) occurs by shaking hands or touching handrails or railings in public places.An interesting fact is that a person infected with such a virus may not even know about 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, because 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 characteristics.
Ordinary guy
Common warts outwardly 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.Warts located in the nail area are an exception.They will be quite painful and difficult to treat.Usually, the appearance of such warts appears in childhood.
Causes of common warts
What are the causes of common warts in children?Everything is simple: the cause of the wart can be a simple scratch or abrasion through which the human papilloma virus (HPV) enters the skin.Having penetrated the body, the virus begins to multiply actively, concentrating mainly in the basal layer of the skin, which causes the appearance of the first warts 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 the child's body.If the child has a strong immune system, he may not be able to get to an extremely severe form of the disease, in which the warts appear one after another.The virus will simply live in the body without showing itself in any way to the outside.
If we understood the reasons for the appearance of ordinary warts, now we need to talk about the symptoms.As you know, such warts usually appear on the back of the arm or leg.A common 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 appearance 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 vulgar warts are the warts themselves.This means that next to one vulgar wart, a second one often appears.The latter is popularly called a "kiss" wart.
Plantar type
Plantar warts can occur 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 by the presence of papillary growths.
A type of flat wart
Flat juvenile warts are small epidermal tumors of small size, yellowish or pale pink in color.Most often, such warts appear on the forehead, chin or cheeks of the patient, 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 mucous membranes.
A type of senile warts
Senile warts affect patients of both sexes over the age of 40.The localization of the pathological process occurs in closed areas of the skin: abdomen, back and chest.Senile warts have a flat shape and are 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.
Additional blood tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) may be prescribed to definitively confirm the patient's differential diagnosis.This research is conducted using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.
Treatment of warts
Before starting therapy, you should definitely consult a doctor.Only a specialist can make a correct differential diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.There are many "grandmother's recipes" for warts, but trying them on yourself is not only unwise, but also very dangerous for your health, because a wart is not just a cosmetic defect, but a very serious disease.
The treatment of various warts is aimed at their removal.The method of destruction of warts is selected individually, taking into account the location and nature of the pathological process.Warts are often multiple in nature, but it is often enough to remove one "mother" tumor, and then all the others disappear on their own with time.Warts, whose treatment with conservative methods has proved ineffective, are subject to destruction.
Basic methods of exterminating warts
There are a number of progressive methods used to eradicate 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, then discarded.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 must not be removed under any circumstances.After 4-5 weeks, it will be rejected on its own.If the wart is very large, then after 3-4 weeks the affected area is treated again.
- Electrocoagulation.This method involves burning the tumor with an electric current.Electrocoagulation is used in hard-to-reach places 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 for 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 profuse bleeding, and the postoperative wound often does not heal well and remains a scar.
- X-ray irradiation.This method is used to treat plantar warts.
However, the 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 drugs that can destroy the structure of the wart, thus corresponding to topical treatment.Often, the treatment of warts is possible with the help of a special ointment that will quickly and painlessly remove the wart.
The treatment of warts is primarily the destruction of the growth formed on the surface of the skin.Drug treatment corresponds to drugs that can be classified into several groups:
- necrotizing;
- Keratolytics (several drugs that help treat the wart by melting it away).
- Cryotherapy components.
- Various antiviral drugs.
- Medicines that increase immunity.
Treatment of warts using the above means may not give an immediate effect.Repeated use of the medicine may be necessary to remove the wart.However, in a number of other cases, the treatment of warts is not necessary at all - after a while they disappear on their own.
According to statistics, self-treatment occurs no later than 2 months after the appearance of the first wart (about 20-22% of all cases) or 3 months (30% of cases).If we are talking about an older wart, then self-healing will most likely occur after 2 years (and this is 50% of cases).Adults are least likely to respond to self-medication.Treatment of warts in adults is facilitated by drugs or surgical procedures.
Treating a wart can be complicated by its unpredictable behavior.The reason for such complex treatment may be a late visit to the doctor, when the wart has swelled in size, changed its shape or color.Usually, a second wart soon appears near one wart, and then their number increases, which also complicates treatment.
If the wart therapy is carried out correctly, it will lead to either the complete disappearance of the wart or its gradual disappearance.At the same time, you do not need to be afraid of the appearance of a new wart.