Warts are benign neoplasms of little aesthetics that appear on the skin when infected with the human papillomavirus. Entering the upper layers of the epidermis, the virus provokes the proliferation of its cells, resulting in the appearance of warts of various shapes, sizes and colors.
Human papillomavirus infects about 80% of people on the planet, and not every patient knows about his diagnosis, since 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). Vulgar warts are irregular or round in shape and, due to their flesh-pinkish 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, groups of neoplasms may appear on the affected area.
Flat warts
Neoplasms of this species appear more often in children and adolescents, therefore their second name is juvenile warts. They are nodules of flesh or light brown color, oval or round, with a smooth surface, slightly rising above the skin. Mostly localized 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 got its name. It is a rough growth with a keratinized layer of skin or a group of such growths. The skin around the plantar warts loses its natural color and becomes gray-yellow. The surface of the wart becomes hard and begins to press on healthy tissue around it, causing severe discomfort.
Hanging warts
A feature of this species is the presence of a narrow articulation with the surface of the skin, the so-called “legs”. Hanging warts can be oblong, round, or irregular, pink or reddish in color. 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 a deterioration in metabolism from the cells of the epidermis, often capturing the upper part of the hair follicles. Keratomas have a round shape, well-defined borders, localized on the scalp or on the face. The size varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm.
Genital warts
Genital warts or condylomas are the most unpleasant 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 structure of nodular growths that are often compared to cauliflower or cockscomb. Condylomas are connected to the skin surface by means of a thin "leg". Due to localization in areas of the body that are susceptible to mechanical irritation, there is a high degree of injury to genital warts and adjacent tissues, infection and development of an inflammatory process with the formation of exudative or purulent discharge.
Causes of warts
Increased activity of human papillomavirus in the body provokes the appearance of warts. Infection occurs through contact and everyday life: through touching, shaking hands, common items and in public places if personal hygiene is not followed. Genital warts are sexually transmitted.
The virus enters its active form if such factors as:
- severe or chronic stress;
- transferred infectious diseases;
- reduced immunity;
- hormonal disruptions, improper metabolism;
- excessive sweating;
- skin trauma and microtrauma;
- wearing 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 special role - both men and women are susceptible to HPV. At the same time, the risk of developing warts in women is higher, since their immunity is often weakened due to hormonal levels, pregnancies, and feeding of children. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, women are also more susceptible to the appearance of genital warts, in particular, genital warts, which increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.
In men, warts appear only in case of 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 a common occurrence in children and adolescents, since their immunity is not fully formed, as a result of which they are easily infected with papillomaviruses. An important role is played by the fact that children attending kindergartens and schools, as a rule, are in increased stressful conditions, which negatively affects the body's defenses. In addition to the contact-household method of infection, intrauterine infection from the mother is also possible.
Most often, children develop vulgar, juvenile or plantar warts, while juvenile warts disappear by themselves by the age of 14-18.
Warts Treatment
When treating warts, it should be understood that it is impossible to completely eliminate the pathogen - human papillomavirus - from the body. Once in the body, it remains in it 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 to strengthen the immune system should be included in HPV therapy. With a reduced defense reaction of the body, even with successful removal of warts, there is a high likelihood of relapse. However, in people with strong immunity, warts can go away on their own.
Therapy should be selected by a competent physician after a thorough examination. Self-medication is unacceptable, since a layman cannot distinguish a wart from a malignant neoplasm. The question of removing awartsis 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 especially effective for common warts. The neoplasm is exposed to liquid nitrogen for 10-30 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 (removal 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 tissue disinfection. The neoplasm tissues remain intact, so they can be sent for histological examination. Traces of manipulation disappear within a week.
- Surgical excision. This method is used only 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 the excision depends on the skill of the surgeon applying the stitches.
- A chemical attack method that uses various acids or alkalis. This method is the most painful, traumatic and dangerous, since the risk of secondary tissue infection at the site of exposure is extremely high. When deciding on its use, it is worth remembering that you can only act on the wart itself, without affecting the skin near it.
Medicines 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 with a dermatologist and take tests to establish the nature of the neoplasms, since exposure to drugs can cause the cells of the wart to degenerate into malignant ones.
Non-traditional methods of dealing with warts
Traditional medicine recipes use:
- garlic;
- bow;
- celandine;
- spurge;
- wormwood;
- flax oil.
Traditional medicine is a good adjunct to mainstream therapy after consultation with your doctor.
Prevention of warts
The best prevention of the occurrence of warts is commonplace adherence to the rules of personal hygiene: timely hand washing, use of personal manicure accessories, towels, washcloths, shoes. You should not go barefoot in the pool, shared showers, baths and saunas. Also, when staying in hotels, it is worth bringing along antiseptic agents for the treatment of bathrooms. In parallel, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and take care of the general state of health.