Warts are a benign (unlike malignant - without the formation of cancer cells) skin formation, which is formed under the influence of various representatives of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family, of which there are more than a hundred. There are no sex and age barriers for warts: their prevalence is the same in both sexes and does not depend on age.
Modes of infection and causes of warts
The papillomavirus is transmitted by contact: either by direct contact with the carrier (handshake), or through contaminated household objects and the environment (baths, showers, swimming pools, etc. ). But don't be afraid of a helping hand from a colleague or a good friend: the condition of infection is an unfavorable combination of a number of factors:
- skin cracks and microtraumas, chronic scratches. Risk group - people who, by the nature of their professional activities, practice wet cleaning or hand washing: they have numerous skin microtraumas;
- low immunity (indicator - frequent colds);
- excessive sweating of hands and feet.
If everything went wrong, the first wart will appear in 1. 5-6 months: this is the incubation period for a viral infection caused by HPV.
Types and Symptoms of Warts
Ordinary warts (also called vulgaris)
These warts represent 2/3 of the total number of warts on the skin. It's the same, these warts are characterized by age readability: they often settle in children and young students.
A favorite place for the dislocation of warts are the hands (both palms and backs), fingers, sometimes (which is very unpleasant from an aesthetic point of view) the face. The appearance of a common wart is very simple: a round seal nodule, the size of which varies from a pinhead to a pea. The color does not show on the skin. Single warts are rare: there are usually several or an entire dispersion. In addition, one of the warts is the largest, it is the so-called maternal wart. If you eliminate it, the rest will fall on its own.
Flat warts (juvenile)
Another representative of the "young" warts that affect people aged 10-25 years. They are small, flat papules that only slightly protrude from the surface of the skin, having a smooth (sometimes scaly) surface. The color is flesh, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. Most often, flat warts are found on the backs of the hands, wrists, face, and neck. Sometimes - on the head of the penis.
plantar warts
These warts are distinguished by increased pain, which is especially felt when walking. Externally, plantar warts are difficult to distinguish from calluses. They can be convex or concave. Plantar warts appear in accordance with their name - on the soles of the feet, in the most rubbing places.
Senile (seborrheic) warts
A benign epithelial tumor formed over the years and occurring in old age is called a senile wart. Initially, it is a small brown spot, which, increasing over time, reaches a diameter of 5-6 cm. Senile wart (also called seborrheic keratoma) has a greasy, crusty surface. Over time, it thickens, its surface becomes covered with cracks and literally fills with a dark brown color. Senile warts form on closed areas of the body, but sometimes they annoy their involuntary owner on the face, neck and limbs.
Condyloma (genital warts)
These warts have a specific location: genitals, perineum, vaginal orifice and anus. They can occur in the armpits, under the female breast, and in children - in the nasolabial folds. In appearance, they are often compared to cockscomb or cauliflower due to their lobed structure. The color of the warts is flesh or pale pink, but if you rub them, they turn crimson and begin to bleed. They form large colonies.
Diagnosis of warts
Diagnosing warts isn't difficult, it's not rocket science for you. Just look at the clinical manifestations of these unwanted growths. Plantar warts are distinguished from banal calluses by the papillary structure of the former, genital warts from wide warts, which are a sign of secondary syphilis, by their denser consistency, wide base and moist surface from the latter.
Treatment of warts
Warts are removed medically or mechanically. Given their viral "essence", they are fought accordingly: antiviral ointments are prescribed. This will prevent the warts from spreading to areas that have not yet developed. Among the folk methods, the milky juice of celandine, which stands out on the cut of the plant, has become widespread.
Electrocoagulation (exposure to electric current + high temperature) helps to get rid of warts even in the most advanced cases.
Cryotherapy (cryodestruction with liquid nitrogen) is very well suited to the treatment of common warts. This procedure is virtually painless, which makes it convenient for use in children.
Plantar warts are treated in a complex way: first - by cryodestruction, then - surgically, excising the affected tissue area under local anesthesia.
Laser therapy is also used, using different types of beams. The affected area depends on it to evaporate or coagulate.
Usually there are no particular problems with warts, but relapses do occur. And in about half of the cases, they go away on their own, without any treatment.
As a preventive measure, it may be advisable to react quickly to the appearance of a single wart and immediately take steps to eliminate it.