Warts: what are they and how to get rid of them

About a quarter of the population suffers from such a problem as warts. Someone does not pay attention to them, but someone worries, tries to treat them. Most neoplasms do not pose a particular threat, but there are deadly (malicious) species.

wart on finger

Their occurrence is a serious dermatological disease that arose as a result of the penetration of the human papillomavirus into the body with weak immunity or a serious illness. The virus affects not only the visible parts of the body: hands, face, legs, but also the internal system of the body, remaining lifelong. A person lives without being aware of the disease, is a carrier and, unfortunately, infects healthy people.

Today, more than a hundred variants of this pathogen are known. Only humans are susceptible to it, so the fear of contracting it from animals, especially toads, is a myth.

What is a wart?

wartIt is a benign growth on the skin caused by a virus. It develops in the form of a nodule or papilla. They can be solitary or in close-knit groups. Spread among children and adults with weak immunity.

In children, there is a desire to tear off the wart or simply scratch it, this leads to the transfer of infection to a clean area of \u200b\u200bthe skin. Warts behave in completely unexpected ways: they may go away on their own without being affected, or they may be unaffected by the most effective drugs and treatments.

types of warts

even

Oval plaquesup to 9 mm in size, protruding slightly over the skin. Painted in gray-yellow or yellow-pink colors. They form numerous clusters. cause itching. Outwardly, they resemble a nettle fire. Appear on the face, neck, back of the skin of arms and legs, the body of girls, boys. This species does not occur in adults. Occur during hormonal changes in the body.

Hence the second namejuvenile warts. Their appearance on the skin of the face of young men can provoke the beginning of the use of razors: wounds on the skin of the face, neck and non-compliance with basic hygiene rules. Pass on independently.

A photo

A photo of flat warts clearly shows the characteristic features of this type:

flat warts

Vulgar

The most common type. It mainly affects children. Location - fingers, palms, hands rarely appear on the mucous membranes. Outgrowth from 0. 5 to 2 mm, flesh-colored, may be with red spots.

Grow from maternal warts to children. This type of treatment is not required. After 3-6-8 months, they will disappear on their own. Some cases have been identified when the wart lasted 1. 5 years. Of course, they can be removed if they are localized over a large area on the skin or cause discomfort when moving.

A photo

The photo shows the structure and location of the vulgar wart on the fingers:

Vulgar warts

threadlike

A common sight in the elderly. In rare cases, pregnant women are affected, which indicates a problem in the course of pregnancy, including in women going through the menopause, since the hormonal background is out of joint. At the initial stage, a bump is formed, which increases in size and takes the form of a flesh-colored thread of 5-10 mm. They can band together in groups and form a scallop.

They appear in the area of \u200b\u200bthe eyes, nose, neck, groin, armpits, in women around the chest, that is, where there is sensitive skin, there are folds and places of excessive sweating. Requires careful observation of specialists, treatment. They don't go by themselves. It needs to be treated or removed.

A photo

The photo shows filiform warts that struck the eye:

Filiform warts

genital warts

small formationsflesh pink, divided into slices. Outwardly, they resemble a cauliflower inflorescence. They develop on the genitals, anus, in rare cases in the oral cavity, urethra. Outwardly, warts are confused with nacreous papules, which are not a disease.

Genital warts are soft to the touch, attached to a thin stalk and can be of different sizes: from 2 millimeters to 10 centimeters. They are only transmitted sexually, so they belong to the sexually transmitted disease of the same name. Areas with small cracks or injuries are particularly at risk.

They appear 2-3 months after sexual contact, if immunity is excellent, the process can drag on for decades. Spread of the virus in the body can cause cervical cancer in women and penile cancer in men. Therefore, when this type of wart is found, it is important to urgently contact doctors - specialists: a venereologist, a gynecologist. Get rid of just treatment and removal.

A photo

The photo shows pointed (anogenital) warts:

genital warts

Senile (seborrheic keratosis)

Occur in older people.Dark brown or blackresemble melanoma (malignant tumors), so it is important to consult an oncologist. Appear on face, neck, torso. This type of neoplasm is the only one that is not caused by the human papillomavirus. Over time, the wart feels dense and is covered with a keratinized crust with black or white "pearls".

Location - chest, neck, face, arms. Do not appear on the soles and palms. The size is from 2 mm to 6 cm. Both single outgrowths and accumulation foci up to several tens are possible. A family history reflecting a hereditary predisposition is sometimes noted in patients with multiple seborrheic keratosis.

This species evolves slowly over several decades and does not undergo malignant transformation. They require observation and treatment. Remove as directed by a doctor.

Important: when a neoplasm appears on the skin of an elderly person, you should immediately consult a dermatologist and oncologist so as not to miss the development of skin cancer!

A photo

The pictures show the four stages of development of senile warts.

Spot phase:

Spot stage senile warts

Papular form (nodules and papules):

Nodules and papules of seborrheic keratosis

Keratotic:

Keratotic wart

skin horn:

Stage of development of senile wart - skin horn

Typical locations of warts

Warts most commonly appear in the following places:

  • Warts on the face:

    • Flat - the most common type, affects the cheeks, the area around the mouth.
    • Vulgar - can appear on any part of the face as single formations or several in different areas.
    • Filiform - favorite places are eyelids, lips, throat.
  • Warts on hands and arms:

    • Vulgar - affects fingers, palms, hands (photo).
    • Flat - the back of the palms, the outside of the elbow joint area, the nail plates (photo).
  • Plantar warts.Localization - fingertips, finger base, foot. Plantar warts are popularly called "spikes". Appear on pressure points of shoes, especially in people who suffer from constant sweating of the feet. A keratinized outgrowth, yellowish-grey in color. Occurrence is observed singly, in rare cases a group of three to five formations. cause discomfort when walking. Pass on their own or be surgically removed, cauterization.

Causes of Warts

As we already know, the source of the appearance of neoplasms is the insidioushuman papilloma virus.Transmission from a carrier of an infection to a healthy person through domestic, sexual contact, through shared objects.

It's easy to catch a virus in places of rest - a bathhouse, a sauna, a beach, a pool. Favorable for contagion at night, in the evening, since the sun's rays harm the virus. The symptoms of the disease appear after two to five months.

Factors contributing to the appearance of warts:

  • weak immunity.
  • synthetic shoes.
  • Sweat.
  • Violation of metabolism in the body.
  • Endocrine Pathology.
  • Emphasize.
  • fungal and other infectious diseases.
  • Insufficient hygiene.
  • Lack of nutrients in the body.
  • casual sex
  • Failure to comply with the rules of asepsis and antisepsis during manicure and pedicure.

Treatment of warts at home

If a build-up occurs, you should first seek the advice of a dermatologist. He examines, determines the nature of the incident and the nature of the upbringing. He will prescribe the treatment appropriate for your case. In the initial stages, drug treatment is very effective.

In children

Treating Warts In Children:

  1. Ointment prescribed by a dermatologist. Treat the wart yourself directly after steaming it out, wait for complete absorption. The effect occurs from two weeks to two months.
  2. Medicated patch to treat warts. It is saturated with salicylic acid. The advantage of the patch is that it covers the affected area. This does not prevent the child from playing. It also prevents bacteria from entering the wound, thereby blocking further spread of the virus.
  3. antiviral therapy.
  4. Apply medication to protect the immune system.
  5. Conduct preventive vitamin courses.

Tips from conventional medicine:

  • Fresh juice of celandine, dandelion or garlic. Treat the wart several times a day.
  • Dough with vinegar essence. Mix two drops of essence with flour. Cut a small hole in the patch equal to the size of the wart. Glue the blank and protect healthy skin areas. We put a piece of the resulting dough in the hole and fix it with another small piece of plaster. It is better to do the procedure at night. The result is possible in the morning.
  • Lotions from a decoction of wormwood.

If new growths appear after removal, you should think about the state of the baby's immunity. It is important to carefully review the child's diet and devote more time to walks in the fresh air. When the body's defenses are working at full strength, knowledge of how to remove a wart in a child is not necessary. The body will be able to cope with the virus on its own.

In adults

You can use chemicals from pharmacies: antiviral ointments and creams that contain alkali or acid.

In addition, you can use:

  1. Etching agent based on phenol and metacresol. Treat the wart with the applicator without getting on healthy skin. Used to remove plantar, filiform, common warts.
  2. Preparation with sodium hydroxide. It is considered the best remedy. Use it strictly as directed by your doctor.
  3. Remedy with celandine juice. The drug is not only used to remove warts, it is also an antiviral agent.
  4. Spray with refrigerant, temperature minus 57 degrees.
  5. A solution based on a mixture of different acids.
  6. Antiviral gel with a unique synthetic peptide. Suitable for adults and children.
  7. A combination of polysaccharides, acetic and citric acids, potassium iodide, extracts of aromatic plants and celandine. The drug has no side effects.

removal of warts

You need to start by having the wart examined by a doctor, this will help to understand the cause of the appearance and prevent it from coming back.

laser removal

main method. Quickly and painlessly will help get rid of the buildup. Used in children from an early age. Combats all types of warts.

There are a number of contraindications:

  • ARVI or exacerbation of a chronic disease at the time of treatment;
  • Hypertension;
  • malignant education;
  • Pregnancy and breast feeding period.

A high-tech surgical laser is used for the procedure. With any neoplasm, the pathogen dies under the action of high temperatures of the laser beam. The jet acts on the skin's surface without touching or injuring it. The main advantage of this method is that the operator of the laser device can easily control the power and depth of the beam.

After the procedure, it is not recommended to wet the wound, go to the bathhouse, sauna, swimming pool, solarium, protect from direct sunlight, do not use cosmetics, do not hide under the plaster.

Benefits of the treatment:

  • there is no risk of infection;
  • the wound does not bleed;
  • minimum time for the procedure;
  • once is enough;
  • method for each type of warts;
  • no age restriction.

Removal with liquid nitrogen (cryolysis)

Wart tissue cell death occurs during the freezing process. The procedure is suitable for flat keratinized growths.

Contraindications:

  • sensitivity to nitrogen;
  • epileptic seizures;
  • Hypertension;
  • pregnancy and the first months of breastfeeding;
  • SARS and other infections.

Use a cryo-applicator with a special nozzle or a cotton-tipped wooden stick. Impact on education during10-40 seconds. The growth turns white, within an hour a bubble appears in its place, which in no case should be punctured or cut off. It will go away on its own in a week and gradually dry up. Eventually, the traces of treatment will disappear in two to three weeks.

When treating flat warts, the doctor conducts skin shading: 4 approaches with an interval of 2 minutes.

Treating plantar warts is painful because it requires deeper nitrogen loading. For efficiency, the procedure is carried out 3-4 times in four days. With severe forms of growth, treatment is delayed up to six months. The recovery period lasts for three weeks, since pain occurs during healing, which causes discomfort when walking.

Advantages:

  • affordable price;
  • short-term procedure that does not require preparation;
  • the development of infection is excluded;
  • leaves no scars.

Minuses:

  • anesthesia is required;
  • With an inaccurate calculation of the exposure depth, a skin burn is possible.
  • repeated courses for large warts.

Electrical cauterization (electrocoagulation)

Special apparatuselectrocoagulatorgenerates a high-frequency current. It has a tip with a loop-shaped electrode. The doctor controls and regulates the power supply. Under the influence of discharges, the temperature of the cells in the wart reaches 80 degrees. They die. Education is cut off. The crust eventually disappears in a week.

Contraindications:

  • herpes activity;
  • malignant tumors or their suspicion;
  • inflammation in the area of intervention;
  • the location of the wart near the blood vessels.

Advantages:

  • the process takes little time - from a few seconds to a minute;
  • the ability to burn several growths at once;
  • no bleeding;
  • there is no risk of infection.

Minuses:

  • requires anesthesia;
  • damage to surrounding tissues;
  • unpleasant tingling after the procedure;
  • daily processing of crusts;
  • scarring.

Excision with a scalpel

The traditional, easy way to remove. Before the procedure, the area is anesthetized, then the growth is cut off with a scalpel. The wound is sutured, which is removed on the eighth day. This method is used with an extensive lesion, when other methods are ineffective. Leaves scars. There is a risk of infection, as a result, new foci.

Indications:

  • size of the wart;
  • suspected development of a malignant tumor;
  • Contraindications to other methods.

Minimum contraindications:

  • worsening of herpes or another infection;
  • chronic diseases without additional examination;
  • Refusal of pregnant women at the discretion of the doctor.

prevention

Prevention of warts:

  1. Hygiene.
  2. permanent partner.
  3. Personal items.
  4. vitamin therapy.
  5. maintenance of immunity.

Developed medicine and a variety of ways to deal with warts can not affect the complete elimination of the human papillomavirus, unfortunately, its rate is increasing in all countries of the world.You can not leave the disease unattended.Constant monitoring by specialists and timely treatment will help avoid the risk of malignant transformation of the focus.