Warts are 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 gender and age barriers for warts: their prevalence is the same among both sexes and does not depend on age.
Ways of infection and causes of warts
Papillomavirus is transmitted by contact: either by direct contact with the carrier (handshake), or through contaminated household items and the environment (in baths, showers, pools, etc. ). But do not shy away from a hand extended by a colleague or good friend: the condition for 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, are engaged in wet cleaning or hand washing: they have many microtraumas on the skin;
- weak immunity (indicator - frequent colds);
- excessive sweating of the hands and feet.
If everything went wrong, then the first wart will appear in 1. 5-6 months: this is the incubation period of a viral infection caused by HPV.
Types and symptoms of warts
Ordinary (also called vulgar) warts
Such warts make up 2/3 of the total number of warts on the skin. That's just the same, these warts are characterized by age legibility: they often settle in children and younger students.
A favorite place for dislocation of warts are the hands (both the palms and the backs), fingers, sometimes (which is very unpleasant from an aesthetic point of view) the face. The appearance of a vulgar wart is very unpretentious: a round seal-nodule, ranging in size from a pinhead to a small pea. Color does not stand out on the skin. Single warts are rare: usually there are several or a whole scattering. Moreover, one of the warts is the largest, it is the so-called maternal wart. If you eliminate it, then the rest will come down on their own.
Flat (juvenile) warts
Another representative of the "young" warts that affect people aged 10 to 25 years. They are small flat papules that only slightly stand out on the surface of the skin, having a smooth (sometimes scaly) surface. The color is flesh, sometimes with a yellowish tint. Most often, flat warts are found on the back of the hands, wrists, face and neck. Sometimes - on the head of the penis.
plantar warts
These warts are distinguished by increased soreness, which is especially felt when walking. Outwardly, plantar warts are difficult to distinguish from calluses. They can be either convex or concave. Plantar warts pop up in tune with their name - on the soles, in places of greatest friction.
Senile (seborrheic) warts
An epithelial benign tumor formed over the years that occurs in old age is called a senile wart. Initially, it is a small brown spot, which, increasing with time, reaches a diameter of 5-6 cm. The senile wart (also called seborrheic keratoma) has a greasy, crusted 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 unwitting owner on the face, neck, and limbs.
Condylomas (genital warts)
These warts have a specific localization: genitals, perineum, vaginal opening 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 warts is flesh or pale pink, but if you rub them, they become crimson in color and begin to bleed. They form large colonies.
Diagnosis of warts
Diagnosing warts is not difficult, this is not rocket technology 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 broad warts, which are a sign of secondary syphilis, by their denser consistency, broad base and moist surface of the latter.
Treatment of warts
Warts are removed either medically or mechanically. Given their viral "essence", they are fought accordingly: antiviral ointments are prescribed. This will prevent the spread of warts to areas that have not yet been developed. Of 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 for the treatment of vulgar warts. This procedure is practically 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 this to evaporate or coagulate.
Usually there are no special 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 can be advised to promptly respond to the appearance of even one wart and immediately take measures to eliminate it.