Warts are benign, unsightly neoplasms that appear on the skin when infected with the human papillomavirus. By penetrating into the upper layers of the epidermis, the virus causes the proliferation of its cells, causing the appearance of warts of various shapes, sizes and colors.
Human papillomavirus infects about 80% of people on the planet, and not all patients know its diagnosis, as HPV in most cases is asymptomatic.
Types of warts
There are different types of warts depending on the location on the body, color, size, shape and type of pathogen.
Common or vulgar warts
The most common, their appearance does not depend on the age or sex of the patient. They are located on the hands, between the fingers, on the back of the palms (less often on the palms themselves). Common warts are irregular or round in shape and, due to their pinkish flesh color, are usually not very noticeable on the skin. The size varies from 1 to 3 mm, with prolonged infection and the absence of treatment, clusters of neoplasms may appear on the affected area.
Flat warts
Neoplasms of this species appear more often in children and adolescents, so their second name is juvenile warts. These are nodules of flesh or light brown in color, oval or round, with a smooth surface, rising slightly above the skin. Mainly located on the skin of the face, neck, arms and upper body.
Plantar warts
This type of wart appears exclusively on the skin of the feet, which is why it gets its name. It is a rough growth with a layer of keratinized skin or a group of such growths. The skin around plantar warts loses its natural color and turns gray-yellow. The surface of the wart becomes hard and begins to press on the healthy tissue around it, causing severe discomfort.
Hanging warts
A feature of this species is the presence of a narrow joint with the surface of the skin, the so-called "legs". Dangling warts can be oblong, round or irregular, pink or reddish. Such warts are localized on the neck, face, armpits, under the breast in women. Often, the appearance of numerous hanging warts signals a sharp decrease in the body's immune status.
Senile warts
Warts of this type are more likely to affect the skin of older people. They are also called seborrheic warts or keratomas. They develop due to age-related changes and deterioration in the metabolism of cells in the epidermis, often capturing the upper part of the hair follicles. Keratomas have a round shape, well-defined boundaries, located on the scalp or on the face. The size varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm.
Genital warts
Genital warts or warts are the most annoying and painful type of neoplasm. Their causative agent is human papillomavirus 6 and 11 types. Genital warts affect the skin adjacent to the mucous membranes: on the lips and eyelids; in the genital area, urethra, anus.
Genital warts have a lumpy growth structure that is often compared to cauliflower or rooster crest. Condylomas are connected to the surface of the skin by means of a thin "leg". Due to the localization in areas of the body susceptible to mechanical irritation, there is a high degree of damage to genital warts and adjacent tissues, infection and the development of an inflammatory process with the formation of exudative or purulent discharge.
Causes of warts
The increased activity of the human papillomavirus in the body causes the appearance of warts. Infection occurs through contact and through everyday life: through contact, handshaking, common objects and in public places if personal hygiene is not observed. Genital warts are sexually transmitted.
The virus enters its active form if factors such as:
- severe or chronic stress;
- transferred infectious diseases;
- reduced immunity;
- hormonal disturbances, improper metabolism;
- excessive sweating;
- skin trauma and microtrauma;
- wear clothes and shoes made of unnatural materials.
If the disease is asymptomatic, it can only be diagnosed by laboratory means.
Warts in adults
The appearance of papillomas or warts is possible at any age. In this case, gender does not play a particular role - both men and women are susceptible to HPV. At the same time, the risk of developing warts in women is higher, as their immunity is often weakened due to hormonal levels, pregnancy and children's diet. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, women are also more susceptible to the appearance of genital warts, especially genital warts, which increase the risk of developing cancer of the cervix.
In men, warts appear only with a sharp decrease in immunity, which does not happen so often with the stronger sex. At the same time, men are extremely rarely carriers of HPV types 16 and 18, which provoke the development of oncological diseases.
Warts in children
Warts are common in children and adolescents because their immunity is not fully formed, which makes them easily infected with papillomaviruses. An important role is played by the fact that children attending kindergartens and schools, as a rule, are under conditions of increased stress, which negatively affects the body's defenses. In addition to the contact-household infection method, intrauterine infection of the mother is also possible.
Most often, children develop common, juvenile or plantar warts, while juvenile warts go away on their own by the age of 14-18 years.
Warts treatment
When treating warts, it should be understood that it is impossible to completely remove the pathogen from the body - human papillomavirus. Once in the body, it remains there forever, but healthy immunity is able to keep it under control and minimize the manifestations of its vital activity.
The very fact of the appearance of warts indicates a decrease in the immune status of the body, therefore, measures aimed at strengthening the immune system should be included in the treatment for HPV. With a reduced defense reaction of the body, even with the successful removal of warts, there is a high probability of relapse. However, in people with high immunity, warts can go away on their own.
Therapy should be selected by a competent physician after careful consideration. Self-medication is unacceptable, since a layman cannot distinguish a wart from a malignant neoplasm. The question of the removal of awartis also decided by a specialist - an injured neoplasm can degenerate from benign to malignant.
There are the following ways to get rid of warts.
- Cryodestruction (freezing with liquid nitrogen). This method is particularly effective for common warts. The neoplasm is exposed to liquid nitrogen for 10 to 30 seconds. This method is good for its low trauma; it takes 1 to 5 sessions to completely remove the wart.
- Laser coagulation (laser removal). The neoplasm is removed in parts under local anesthesia. At the site of the wart, a groove remains, which disappears after about a month.
- Electrocoagulation (elimination by current). The wart is removed with a thin metal loop using a high frequency current. This method is characterized by the absence of bleeding and additional disinfection of the tissues. The tissues of the neoplasm remain intact, so they can be sent for histological examination. Traces of handling disappear within a week.
- Surgical excision. This method is only used in extreme cases, when the neoplasms are too large or are grouped into a single conglomeration. Under local anesthesia, the wart is removed with a scalpel as in conventional surgery. The removed material is sent for histological examination. The presence of scars at the site of excision depends on the skill of the surgeon applying the stitches.
- A method of chemical attack that uses various acids or alkalis. This method is the most painful, traumatic and dangerous, since the risk of secondary infection of tissues at the site of exposure is extremely high. When deciding on its use, it should be remembered that you can act only on the wart itself, without affecting the skin nearby.
Drugs for the treatment of warts
Local remedies are used to treat warts, but their effectiveness depends on the age of the neoplasm - the fresher the wart, the more likely it is to remove it and the patient's immunity.
Before using local remedies, you should consult a dermatologist and do tests to establish the nature of the neoplasms, as exposure to drugs can cause wart cells to degenerate into malignant cells.
Non-traditional methods of treating warts
Traditional medicine recipes use the following to fight warts:
- garlic;
- arc;
- celandine;
- spurge;
- absinthe;
- linseed oil.
Traditional medicine is a good complement to traditional therapy after consultation with your doctor.
Warts prevention
The best prevention of the appearance of warts is the routine observance of the rules of personal hygiene: timely washing of hands, use of personal manicure accessories, towels, washcloths, shoes. You shouldn't go barefoot in shared pools, showers, baths and saunas. In addition, when staying in hotels, it is worth bringing antiseptic agents for the treatment of bathrooms. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and take care of the general state of health.