Warts are flat, keratinized, benign growths caused by human papillomavirus.This fairly common disease occurs more often 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 membrane and genitals.This disease is highly contagious: it spreads quickly and is transmitted from one person to another.When injured, warts become painful and may 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 sores and severe wounds.In some cases, warts can develop into malignant tumors.
The cause of warts and pathogenesis
Warts are caused by a filtered virus.It cannot be examined under a microscope or "captured" by bacterial filters.These viruses include 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 warts are caused by viruses of type 2 and 4. These types of viruses are especially associated with the appearance of warts on the hands.
Continued 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 virus carrier and through household means by sharing household items with an infected person.Warts spread especially quickly in groups of children (kindergartens, schools, sports sections, etc.).Predisposing factors are considered maceration (natural swelling of the epidermis, which occurs in people of certain professions) or light 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 finger warts?Undoubtedly, human fingers are the most traumatized area of the body, through which the virus is transmitted so quickly and easily, which causes the appearance of warts.Contact with a carrier of the virus (essentially the cause of warts) occurs through shaking hands or touching the railing or handrail 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 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.
The usual type
Common warts from the outside 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 located 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 scratch, through which the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters the skin.Having penetrated the body, the virus begins to multiply actively, concentrating mainly on the basal layer of the skin, which causes the appearance of the first warts after one or two months.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 appearing in any way from the outside.
If we have discovered the reasons for the appearance of common warts, now we must talk about the symptomatic features.As you know, such warts usually appear on the back of the hand or foot.A common wart has a round shape, the size of which does not exceed 10 mm.An important feature of this type of warts is its multiple nature: the appearance of one can influence 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 type warts are the warts themselves.This means that next to a vulgar wart, a second one often appears.The latter is popularly called "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 located in areas with greater 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.
Flat wart type
Juvenile flat warts are small epidermal tumors of small size, yellow 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, located on the mucous membrane.
Type of senile warts
Senile warts affect patients of both sexes over 40 years of age.The 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, the 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, basal wart carcinoma, polyps, calluses, skin cancer and other dermatological diseases.
To finally confirm the differential diagnosis, the patient may be prescribed additional blood tests for the human papillomavirus (HPV).This study was conducted using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.
Treatment of warts
Before starting the therapy, you should definitely consult a doctor.Only a specialist can make the correct differential diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.There are many "grandmother's recipes" for warts, but trying them yourself is not only unwise, but also very dangerous to health, because a wart is not just a cosmetic defect, but a very serious disease.
The treatment of various warts is aimed at its removal.The method of destroying warts is chosen 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 a "mother" tumor, and then all the others will disappear on their own over time.Warts, whose treatment with conservative methods has proved ineffective, are subject to destruction.
Basic methods of destroying warts
There are a number of progressive methods used to destroy warts.The most effective of them are:
- Cryodestruction.This method is based on applying liquid nitrogen or dry ice directly to the warts.The damaged area of the skin is frozen, after which it is rejected.When exposed to extremely low temperatures, the virus dies completely and the wart is destroyed.This method is painless, and the scars after the operation 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 reject itself.If the wart was very large, then after 3-4 weeks the affected area is re-treated.
- Electrocoagulation.This method involves burning the tumor with electric current.Electrocoagulation is used in hard-to-reach areas and can be used to remove warts on the mucosa.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 wound after surgery 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 small 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 radiation. 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 different types of warts, there are a number of local medications that can destroy the structure of the warts, thus corresponding to local treatment.Often, the treatment of warts is possible with the help of a special oil, which will quickly and painlessly eliminate the wart.
The treatment of warts is, first of all, 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 (a number of drugs that help treat warts by melting them).
- Components for cryotherapy.
- Various antiviral drugs.
- Drugs that can increase immunity.
Treatment of warts using the above means may not give an immediate effect.Repeated use of medication may be required to eliminate a wart.However, in a number of other cases, the treatment of warts is not necessary at all - after a while they go away by themselves.
According to statistics, self-healing 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 less 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 delayed visit to the doctor, when the wart swelled in size, it changed shape or color.Usually, a second one appears soon next to one wart, and then their number increases, which also complicates treatment.
If wart therapy is carried out correctly, it will lead either to the complete disappearance of warts, or to a gradual disappearance.At the same time, you should not be afraid of a new wart appearing.