Warts are benign (unlike malignant - without the formation of cancer cells) skin formations, which occur under the influence of various members of the family of human papilloma virus (HPV), of which there are more than a hundred. There are no gender or age barriers for warts: their prevalence is the same between both sexes and does not depend on age.
Ways of infection and causes of warts
The papilloma virus is transmitted by contact: either by direct contact with the carrier (handling), or by contaminated household items and the environment (in bathrooms, showers, swimming pools, etc. ). But do not shy away from the hand provided by a colleague or good friend: the condition for infection is an unfavorable combination of a number of factors:
- cracks and microtraumas on the skin, chronic scratches. Risk group - people who by the nature of their professional activities are engaged in wet cleaning or hand washing: they have a lot of microtrauma on the skin;
- weak immunity (indicator - frequent colds);
- excessive sweating of hands and feet.
If everything went wrong, then the first wart will appear in 1, 5-6 months: this is the incubation period of the 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. It is the same, these warts are characterized by legibility of age: they often settle in children and younger students.
Favorite places for nipple dislocation are the hands (both palms and back), fingers, sometimes (which is aesthetically very uncomfortable) face. The appearance of a vulgar nipple is very unpretentious: a round seal-nodule, the size of a needle head to a small pea. The color does not stand out on the skin. Individual warts are rare: there are usually several or whole ones. Moreover, one of the nipples is the largest, the so-called maternal nipple. If you eliminate it, the rest will fall apart on its own.
Straight (juvenile) nipples
Another representative of "young" warts that affect people aged 10 to 25. These are small flat papules that stand out only a little on the surface of the skin, they have a smooth (sometimes scaly) surface. The color is flesh, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. Flat nipples are most often found on the back of the hands, wrists, face and neck. Sometimes - on the head of the penis.
plantar warts
These warts are characterized by increased pain, which is especially felt when walking. Externally, plantar warts are difficult to distinguish from blisters. They can be convex or concave. Plantar warts protrude in accordance 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. In the beginning, it is a small brown spot, which increases over time, reaching a diameter of 5-6 cm. . A senile wart (also called a seborrheic keratoma) has a greasy surface with a crust. Over time, it thickens, its surface becomes covered with cracks and is literally filled with dark brown. Senile warts form on closed parts of the body, but sometimes irritate its unconscious owner on the face, neck and limbs.
Condyloma (genital warts)
These warts have a specific localization: genitals, perineum, vaginal opening and anus. They can appear in the armpits, under women's breasts, and in children - in the nasolabial folds. In appearance they are often compared to a rooster's comb or cauliflower because of their lobe structure. The color of the nipples is fleshy or pale pink, but if you rub them, they turn crimson 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 differ from banal calluses in the papillary structure of the first, genital warts from wide warts, which are a sign of secondary syphilis, in denser consistency, broad base and moist surface of others.
Wart treatment
Warts are removed medically or mechanically. Given their viral "essence", they are being fought against: antiviral ointments are being prescribed. This will prevent the warts from spreading to areas that are not yet developed. From folk methods, the milky juice of celandine, which stands out on the cut of the plant, has become widespread.
Electrocoagulation (exposure to electricity + high temperature) helps to get rid of warts even in the most advanced cases.
Cryotherapy (cryodestruction with liquid nitrogen) is very suitable for the treatment of vulgar warts. This procedure is practically painless, which makes it suitable for use in children.
Plantar warts are treated in a complex way: first - by cryodestruction, then - by surgery, excision of the affected area of tissue under local anesthesia.
Laser therapy is also used, using different types of rays. The affected area depends on evaporating or coagulating.
There are usually no special problems with warts, but recurrences 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 react immediately to the appearance of even one wart and immediately take measures to remove it.