Warts are benign skin growths that appear on various parts of the body.They occur both in children and adults and cause a lot of inconvenience to sick people with their unsightly appearance and unpleasant sensations in case of injury.What causes warts and can they be prevented?
Causes of warts
HPV can be “earned” in public baths or saunas, or at a manicurist due to poor disinfection of equipment.
The main reason for the appearance of warts is infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), transmitted through household or sexual contact (the exceptions are keratomas formed as a result of age-related skin changes).The penetration of the pathogen into the body of a healthy person occurs through skin injured in one way or another, and the provoking factors can be:
- increased activity of the virus in the carrier of the disease;
- a sharp decrease in immunity in a healthy person.
From the moment of infection until the first formations appear, it takes from 14 days to several years - during this time the virus does not bother the sick person at all.HPV activation occurs primarily due to:
- changes in hormonal levels due to medications, pregnancy, illnesses;
- stress;
- deterioration of general health due to illness;
- prolonged exposure to cold;
- overwork.
Why do warts appear on the body?
Warts (papillomas) on the body result from contact with a person carrying the human papilloma virus or their belongings.The routes of infection can be different:
- use of the patient's personal belongings - towels, underwear and bed linen, combs, dishes, personal hygiene products, etc.;
- touching common objects – railings, door handles, elevator buttons;
- visiting swimming pools, saunas and baths (especially without rubber slippers);
- unprotected sexual contact with an infected person;
- clean crowded places;
- autoinfection (the appearance of warts on the body is caused by frequent trauma of maternal formation).
Why do warts appear on the hands?
Warts on the hands, as well as other parts of the body, are caused by HPV infection.The cause of the appearance of warty growths is physical contact with an infected person or his belongings (for example, infection can occur as a result of a handshake).In this case, the following types of warts may develop:
- simple (vulgar)– painless growths with a keratinized surface that appear on the hands and fingers (their size increases over time);
- periungual– simple varieties that form near the nail;
- apartment (youth)– rounded nodules with a flat surface which appear on the back of the hands and on the inside of the limbs below the elbow (generally observed in adolescents, but can also appear in adults).
Why do warts grow on feet?
The skin on your feet should be especially cared for, because it is much easier for the virus to enter the body if your feet are prone to sweating.
Warts on the legs are painful growths that can develop.They appear on the heels or forefoot due to infection with the HPV virus.The reasons leading to the development of the disease are:
- decreased immunity;
- the presence of diseases leading to a deterioration of blood supply to the lower extremities - varicose veins, diabetes mellitus;
- wearing uncomfortable, tight, or poor-quality shoes (made from artificial materials);
- stress;
- increased sweating of the feet;
- sleep disturbances;
- lack of vitamins;
- dry skin.
Why do warts appear on fingers?
Warts on fingers appear following direct contact with a person infected with HPV or objects they have used.This could be a handshake, touching a handrail on the subway, wearing someone else's bath slippers, etc.Generally, common and plantar warts are transmitted in the manner described.
Why do warts appear on the genitals?
The HPV virus, which causes the development of warts in the genital area, perineum and anus (warts), is transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse.Without proper treatment, the number of genital warts increases due to constant trauma, which, in turn, leads to the formations resembling cauliflower.
How does a wart start to grow?
When activated in the human body, the human papilloma virus attacks skin cells, which is accompanied by their excessive division and tissue proliferation (at this time the wart begins to grow).
Attention!Adequate treatment of pathology in the early stages allows you to return the virus to a “dormant” state and prevent the spread of formations throughout the body.
Are warts dangerous?
Warts are benign formations that cannot seriously harm human health.However, they still need to be addressed.This is explained:
- high degree of contagiousness of formations and, as a result, their rapid spread on the skin;
- the risk of secondary infections due to accidental damage to the growths;
- risk of malignancy (transformation into a cancerous tumor);
- danger of contaminating others.
Diagnosis
Treatment of warts should only be carried out under the supervision of a dermatologist.
The diagnosis is made by a dermatologist on the basis of clinical manifestations.Additional research, including DNA typing, is rarely necessary.The main signs of warts are:
- lack of skin pattern on the surface;
- presence of blackheads (obstructed capillaries);
- bleeding due to injury.
During the examination, other skin pathologies are excluded.In difficult cases, it is possible to perform a biopsy followed by a histological examination of the warty tissue.
Treatment
Although today there are many ways to get rid of warts, none of them eliminate the cause of their appearance - the human papilloma virus.This is why in 30% of cases the disease reappears.
Treatment is necessary when warts:
- grow quickly or itch;
- they are often injured;
- the number of training courses is increasing sharply.
Drug therapy
Treatment of warts with medications is carried out comprehensively.Patients are prescribed:
- agents having a chemical effect on formations;
- cytotoxic drugs;
- agents that affect the immune system - interferons.
Folk remedies
Treatment of warts with folk remedies is usually used when they are just beginning to grow or when only one small formation needs to be removed.In the vast majority of cases, the following recipes are used for this purpose.
- Garlic.Cut a clove of fresh garlic in half and rub the wart with a cut from one of the halves.The treatment is carried out twice a day.
- Garlic patch.A plate is cut from a clove of garlic depending on the size of the formation, applied to the growth and fixed with a bandage.The manipulation is carried out before bedtime.In the morning, remove the garlic.
- Garlic paste.The garlic is grated using a grater.A teaspoon of porridge is mixed with a similar amount of melted lard and four teaspoons of vinegar.The finished product is placed on a piece of bandage, applied to the surface of the previously steamed formation, covered with polyethylene, fixed with a bandage and wrapped in something warm.
- Garlic flatbread.The garlic is grated.Acetic acid and flour are added to the pulp, the dough is kneaded and a flat cake is prepared.In the evening, before going to bed, the cake is applied to the wart, covered with polyethylene and fixed with a bandage.
Other methods
There are other, more effective ways to remove warts.These include:
- cryodestruction;
- electrocoagulation;
- laser coagulation;
- surgical excision.
Cryodestruction is a procedure that involves freezing warts with liquid nitrogen.The substance is applied to the surface of the formation using a tampon fixed on a wooden stick or a special cryoapplicator.Freezing lasts 10-30 seconds, after which the growth turns white and becomes dense.After an hour, a blister appears on the skin, which eventually turns into a scab.
Electrocoagulation involves removing warts using electric current.The formation is cut using a thin loop under high frequency current, which helps prevent bleeding and disinfect the tissues.The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.A scab forms at the site of the wart and falls off after seven days.If cancer is suspected, the cut tissues are sent for histology.
Electrocoagulation is based on the cauterization of pathological tissues with an electric current, leading to the death of skin formations.
Laser coagulation involves cutting out warts with a laser.The formation is removed layer by layer under local anesthesia.A small depression remains at the growth site and heals after a few weeks.
Surgical wart excision is used to remove large or fused warts.The growths are cut out with a scalpel under local anesthesia.After removal, the wound edges are sutured with a cosmetic suture and the biological material is sent for histological examination.A thin scar remains at the site of the wart.
These manipulations are carried out exclusively in a hospital environment.
What to do if a wart grows after removal?
Relapse of the disease indicates the activation of the human papilloma virus in the body.If the wart reappears, it must be removed, and then measures should be taken to strengthen the immune system.
You can start removing the growth only after consulting a doctor and confirming the benign nature of the wart.Otherwise, disposal by conventional methods leads to significant health problems.