wart

Warts are benign neoplasms of poor aesthetics that appear on the skin when they are infected with the human papillomavirus. When the virus penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis, it provokes the proliferation of its cells, which leads to the appearance of warts of various shapes, sizes and colors.

The human papillomavirus infects about 80% of the people on the planet, and not every patient knows their diagnosis as HPV is asymptomatic in most cases.

Types of warts

There are different types of warts, depending on their position on the body, color, size, shape and type of pathogen.

Common or vulgar warts

Most often, their appearance does not depend on the age or gender 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 are usually not very noticeable on the skin because of their flesh pink color. The size varies between 1 and 3 mm. With prolonged infection and lack of treatment, groups of neoplasms can appear on the affected area.

Flat warts

Neoplasms of this type are more common in children and adolescents, hence their middle name is juvenile warts. They are nodules of flesh or light brown in color, oval or round, with a smooth surface that rises slightly 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 turns gray-yellow. The wart's surface becomes hard and begins to press on healthy tissue, causing severe discomfort.

Hanging warts

The peculiarity of this type is the presence of a close articulation with the skin surface, the so-called "legs". Drooping warts can be oblong, round or irregular, pink or reddish in color. Such warts are localized in women on the neck, face, armpits and under the chest. Often, the appearance of numerous hanging warts signals a sharp decrease in the immune status of the body.

Senile warts

Warts of this type are more likely to affect the skin of older people. They are also known as seborrheic warts or keratomas. They develop from the cells of the epidermis due to age-related changes and a deterioration in metabolism, and often involve the upper part of the hair follicles. Keratomas have a round shape, well-defined borders that are localized on the scalp or face. The size varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm.

Genital warts

Genital warts or warts are the most uncomfortable and painful type of neoplasm. They are caused by the human papillomavirus types 6 and 11. Genital warts affect the skin next to the mucous membranes: on the lips and eyelids; in the genital area urethra, anus.

Genital warts have a structure of nodular growth that is often compared to cauliflower or cockscomb. Condylomas are connected to the surface of the skin by a thin "leg". Due to its localization in areas of the body prone to mechanical irritation, there is a high degree of damage to genital warts and adjacent tissues, infection and the development of an inflammatory process with the formation of exudative or purulent discharge.

Causes of warts

Increased activity of the human papillomavirus in the body leads to the appearance of warts. The infection occurs through contact and everyday life: through touching, shaking hands, general objects and in public places if personal hygiene is not observed. Genital warts are transmitted sexually.

The virus enters its active form when factors such as:

• severe or chronic stress;
• transmitted infectious diseases;
• decreased immunity;
• hormonal disorders, incorrect metabolism;
• excessive sweating;
• skin trauma and microtrauma;
• wears clothes and shoes made from unnatural materials.

If the disease is asymptomatic, it can only be diagnosed using laboratory means.

Warts in adults

Papillomas or warts can occur at any age. At the same time, gender does not play a special role - both men and women are prone to HPV. At the same time, the risk of developing warts in women is higher, as their immunity is often weakened due to hormone levels, pregnancy, and children's diet. Also, due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, women are more prone to the appearance of genital warts, especially genital warts, which increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.

In men, warts appear only with a sharp decrease in immunity, which is not so common in the stronger sex. At the same time, men are extremely rarely carriers of HPV 16 and 18 types, which provoke the development of oncological diseases.

Warts in children

Warts are common in children and adolescents because their immunity is not fully developed and therefore they can be easily infected with papillomavirus. An important role is played by the fact that children who attend kindergartens and schools, as a rule, suffer from increased stress conditions, which has a negative effect on the body's defenses. In addition to the contact household infection method, intrauterine infection by the mother is also possible.

Most often, children will develop vulgar, juvenile, or plantar warts, while juvenile warts will go away on their own between the ages of 14 and 18.

Wart treatment

When treating warts, it should be clear that it is impossible to completely remove the pathogen - human papillomavirus - from the body. Once in the body, it stays in the body forever, but healthy immunity can keep it under control and minimize the manifestations of its vital activity.

The fact that warts appear indicates a decrease in the immune status of the body. Therefore, measures to strengthen the immune system should be included in HPV therapy. If the body's defense reaction is reduced, there is a high likelihood of relapse despite successful removal of warts. However, in people with strong immunity, warts can go away on their own.

Therapy should be selected after a thorough examination by a competent doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable because a layperson cannot distinguish a wart from a malignant neoplasm. The question of removing awartis ​​also decided by a specialist - an injured neoplasm can degenerate from benign to malignant.

There are several ways to get rid of warts.

1. Cryodestruction (freezing with liquid nitrogen). This method is particularly effective for warts. The neoplasm is exposed to liquid nitrogen for 10 to 30 seconds. This method is good for your little trauma: it takes 1 to 5 sessions to completely remove the wart.
2. Laser coagulation (laser removal). The neoplasm is partially removed under local anesthesia. A groove remains in the place of the wart, which disappears after about a month.
3. Electrocoagulation (removal by electricity). The wart is removed with a thin metal loop using a high frequency current. This method is characterized by no bleeding and additional tissue disinfection. The neoplasmic tissue remains intact so it can be sent for histological examination. Traces of manipulation disappear within a week.
4. Surgical removal. This method is only used in extreme cases, when the neoplasms are too large or are grouped into a single conglomerate. As with conventional surgery, the wart is removed with a scalpel under local anesthesia. The removed material is sent for histological examination. The presence of scars at the site of the excision depends on the surgeon's ability to apply the stitches.
5. A chemical attack method in which various acids or bases are used. This method is the most painful, traumatic and dangerous as the risk of secondary tissue infection at the exposure site is extremely high. When deciding on its use, it is important to remember that you can only act on the wart itself without affecting the skin nearby.

Medicines to treat 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 will be removed and the patient's immunity.

Before using local medicines, you should consult a dermatologist and do tests to determine the nature of the neoplasm, as exposure to the medicines can cause the wart's cells to degenerate into malignant cells.

Non-traditional methods of dealing with warts

Use

recipes for traditional medicine:

• garlic;
• bow;
• celandine;
• milkweed;
• wormwood;
• flax oil.

Traditional medicine, after consulting your doctor, is a good addition to general therapy.

Prevention of warts

The best prevention of the appearance of warts is the banal compliance with the rules of personal hygiene: timely hand washing, use of personal manicure accessories, towels, washcloths, shoes. You shouldn't go barefoot in the pool, shared showers, baths and saunas. Even in hotels, it is worth bringing antiseptics for bathroom treatment. In parallel, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and pay attention to the general state of health.