Surely almost everyone has heard the word "wart" and probably at the same time frowned in disgust, thinking how unpleasant and probably dangerous is the infectious disease. Some remember from childhood: you should never touch frogs - there will beSomeone authoritatively states that "it will pass by itself" and is generally like a mole and not scary at all, while others are terribly afraid of being caught. There is a lot of speculation about the disease due to the fact that not everyone knows the exact cause of the pathology.
He was warned armed. That is why it is important to understand why people grow warts, what they are, why they are dangerous and whether they have anything to do with frogs.
Types of warts
Warts are skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which lives and multiplies only in the epithelium and mucous membranes. Under certain conditions, the virus begins to appear on the surface of the epithelium in the form of growths. Neoplasms can be of different sizes - both small and quite large, and colors - from pink to dark brown.
HPV has a large number of strains and this is the cause of different types of warts.
flat warts (youthful)
Such neoplasms resemble externally rounded spots of irregular shape. They occur in adolescents entering puberty. Their appearance is closely related to the hormonal restructuring of the young organism. They deliver a lot of unpleasant sensations - from psychological discomfort to itchy skin. Usually flat warts itch, for other species this is uncommon. The most common skin inflammations of this type appear on the face, neck, arms and legs. They usually go away on their own and do not require serious intervention.
Vulgar warts (common)
They are dense growths resembling knots. This type is the most common. The fact is that they appear on the hands and fingers, palms, which allows HPV to easily pass from sick to healthy person. The virus enters the body by damaging the skin when touched or in the process of using household items. The main reasons for the appearance of warts on the hands lie in the ease of transmission of the disease and non-compliance with basic hygiene rules.
One of the subspecies of common warts are plantar warts. They affect the lower part of the feet: feet, heels, toes. Such growths are very painful because they are extremely painful, especially when walking.
Most common warts go away completely within six months to a year, but in some cases they may not go away for longer.
Filamentous warts
Neoplasms of this type are soft and rounded. Such warts most often appear in the elderly, in women with problematic pregnancies and during menopause, as their appearance is associated with hormonal imbalance. Areas of delicate skin are primarily affected: face, neck, inguinal area, armpits. The presence of wrinkles on the body and excessive sweating also contribute to the spread of epithelial growths.
Unlike the previous two types, this type of skin formation requires careful monitoring and treatment under the supervision of a specialist. It is important to know that they will not go away on their own and may need to be removed.
Genital warts
Different types of warts that affect the genitals, anus or much less often the mouth. They are outgrowths of the legs in the shape of an ice pendant. With the development of the disease they grow, becoming like cauliflower.
Warts often develop into malignant tumors, so their appearance and growth should be monitored by a specialist.
Reasons
Almost half of the world's population is infected with the human papillomavirus, but not every carrier is aware of it. For a long time, HPV is unable to manifest itself while maintaining vital activity. Warts or warts come out when the conditions for their development become favorable, ie by reducing the protective functions of the human body. In fact, weak immunity is the main reason for the appearance of genital warts and warts on various parts of the body.
Provoking factors:
- hormonal insufficiency in the body (puberty, pregnancy, menopause);
- metabolic disease;
- unprotected sexual intercourse;
- non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
- dry skin on the hands or, conversely, heavy sweating;
- circulatory disorders;
- the presence of microdamages in the epithelium.
By the way, as practice shows, the appearance of warts has nothing to do with frogs, so we can safely say that this is just a delusion.
Diagnosis
Each type of wart is characterized by a special structure and a set of characteristics inherent in it. This allows you to quickly diagnose and prescribe the right treatment.
External examination of the neoplasm is sufficient for the dermatologist to distinguish a wart from other skin diseases (lichen planus, warty tuberculosis of the skin, etc. ). In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the growths are of good quality and to determine the degree of their oncogenicity. To do this, perform tests by PCR and biopsy. Also, to determine the strain of the virus and the level of its concentration, a Digene HPV test is performed. Thanks to him, a prognosis for the development of neoplasms is built, methods of therapy are determined.
When skin growths appear, patients are in no hurry to consult a doctor and treat them, as warts do not have acute symptoms. Occasionally, neoplasms may itch. In most cases, these growths do not bother their owners, except for their unaesthetic appearance.
There are a number of indications for contact with a specialist. First of all, this is:
- rapid growth of the wart (size over 2 cm is an indication for surgery);
- itching, tingling, burning, pain in the growth;
- sharp blackening of the neoplasm;
- activation of the inflammatory process (suppuration, blood);
- the emergence of new formations around a growth;
- change in shape and structure.
In case of genital warts, additional tests are mandatory.
Effective treatments
You can quickly get rid of warts, provided that the growth is of good quality. In the first place, it is necessary to eliminate those that deprive a person of psychological comfort, cause pain or are in places where it is easy to injure. The most commonly used for treatment are:
- Pharmaceuticals. The drug method of control also includes immunotherapy, topical application of drugs containing acid, retinoic acid, the use of hormonal ointments. The necessary drugs are prescribed by a doctor.
- Folk remedies. We are talking about the use of different types of medicinal plants and fruits. For example, such folk methods are considered effective:
- Compresses of raw onions soaked in vinegar. The vegetables are tied to the wart several nights in a row. In order not to burn the skin around the formation, it is recommended to stick it with adhesive tape. Rubbing warts with freshly cut potato halves helps to remove them.
- The most popular and proven method is cauterization of warts with celandine juice. The procedure should be performed twice a day, using freshly harvested grass. The juice of this plant can burn the skin, so the procedure is performed strictly locally.
- Another effective remedy is a mixture of dandelion juice, milk thistle, rowan berries, sour apples, onions, garlic and lemon. There are no specific proportions - the amount of each ingredient is determined by eye. The resulting mixture is applied to the wart three times a day.
- They get rid of the hard growths on the hands with the help of vinegar, dripping it on the problem area. For a brighter effect, a mixture of vinegar and flour is also used - the pasty mass should be applied to the wart, wait for it to dry and then bandage overnight.
- A mixture of finely grated garlic, lemon juice and flour is often used for cauterization. It should also be applied at night for some time.
- Horseradish juice also has a cauterizing effect. Its root is grated, mixed with salt and applied to the growth.
- surgery and other methods. Do not neglect the traditional ways to remove warts, which are practiced in medical institutions. First of all
- Excision of the wart without damaging the adjacent tissue using a scalpel with radio waves under local anesthesia. Now this procedure is used less frequently, as there is a high probability of scarring where the warts are removed. However, if the size of the growths exceeds 2 cm, the operation is performed without failure. The method allows you to completely remove the wart.
- Cryotherapy - the formation is frozen with liquid nitrogen, which deprives its cells of vital activity, after the event will no longer grow.
- Electrocoagulation - cauterization of growths. Such elimination of the problem is considered fast and effective.
Aesthetic medicine clinics also offer services for the removal of skin lesions with laser or phototherapy.
Remember: when warts of any kind appear, it is best to consult a doctor! More often, HPV-induced neoplasms are benign and do not require serious intervention. However, to be sure, it is better to pass the necessary tests.
Prevention
Of course, the surest way to prevent unpleasant skin disease is to have strong immunity. Unfortunately, few people can boast of this. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of infection with warts and warts, it is important to follow the rules of hygiene, namely:
- wash your hands thoroughly, take a shower or bath regularly and teach your child to do the same, as children get sick more often than adults;
- do not use foreign hygiene items;
- when visiting baths, saunas, swimming pools, take personal changeable shoes, do not lean on bare parts of the body in seating areas, shower walls and steam baths;
- promptly treat abrasions, cuts, small wounds with disinfectants;
- exclude unprotected intercourse using barrier contraception;
- to be vaccinated against the most dangerous types of HPV.