Warts are neoplasms of a viral nature that form on any part of the skin. Most often, they are formed on the hands, soles of the feet, neck, face. It was found that they arise due to HPV (human papillomavirus), which has more than 100 species, some of which are capable of causing malignant neoplasms. You can not be too frivolous of such growths, and it is best to consult a dermatologist for their treatment. In this article we will try to understand what viral warts are, photos of which will also be presented.
Types of Warts
There are a large number of such growths. 4 large groups of viral warts are distinguished:
- Plantar These formations are quite dense, which occur on the palms and soles of the feet. Such papillomas have injured capillaries, characterized by soreness, because the plantar wart always grows inward.
- Flat. These growths in diameter are no more than 3 mm and have a yellowish color. The appearance of such papillomas is polygonal. They are formed mainly on the chest, face, neck, bends of the legs and arms.
- Anogenital. This type of growths is formed on the mucous membranes of the genitals, in the perianatal region and near the anus. Moreover, after infection, warts do not appear immediately, but only after 1-6 months.
- Papillomatous. These warts are least likely to occur and occur mainly in young children, and quickly grow inside the larynx. Treatment should be started immediately, because there is a high likelihood of developing airway obstruction.
How does a virus enter the body?
The appearance of viral warts provokes the contact of the pathogen on the skin, which has any damage, and quite minor. Various scratches, scuffs, burrs are the entrance gate to the virus. The source of infection are squamous flakes, which are torn away from the affected skin. Such flakes can contain up to 200 viral replications. A dead cell with the virus in it penetrates the skin of a healthy person. The development of this virus begins to occur, and its intensity depends on the persistence of human immunity. Warts can form, a person can become a healthy carrier, or the virus dies without causing any harm.
In what cases can warts be picked up? A viral disease occurs if the pathogen has entered the body when visiting public places of rest such as saunas, SPA salons, pools. Household and sexual transmission methods from a person who is a carrier of the virus are also quite common. You can get infected from pets and when using things of a person with HPV.
Symptoms of the manifestation of warts
Many people are sure that the appearance of viral warts occurs suddenly, since on the clean skin the next day a mass the size of a millet seed may appear. In fact, papillomas grow very slowly, hiding under a layer of the epidermis. Color also does not differ from healthy skin, only after a while the warts begin to darken, acquiring gray or brownish shades.
Patients most often complain to the doctor about aesthetic discomfort. But if the growths formed on the hands, then they can often be injured, causing minor pain, the tip of the formation is damaged, begins to get wet and bleed. Only plantar warts are very worried. Prickly growths, crashing into the dermis, begin to injure the tissue, causing sharp pain when walking. The condition may worsen with multiple proliferation of warts due to the spread of infection.
Features of plantar warts
Plantar warts account for one third of all neoplasms. The treatment of such growths is best done in private clinics with modern equipment and special technologies, since if the papilloma root is not completely removed or the nearest tissues are damaged, then the warts will begin to grow again or daughter growths will appear on other areas of the skin.
A viral wart on the foot appears in the following cases:
- damage to the skin of the foot;
- due to diseases such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, varicose veins of the lower extremities;
- excessive sweating of the skin of the legs or, conversely, excessive dryness;
- foot diseases or their deformation;
- due to uncomfortable shoes.
Features of warts on the fingers
Often on the fingers appear ordinary, or vulgar, warts, and they are considered the most harmless. However, as the disease progresses, they begin to multiply and appear on the neck, elbows and other areas of the skin. Sometimes a viral wart on a finger can affect the corners of the lips, the front of the oral mucosa, and the tip of the tongue.
An ordinary wart located on the fingertips or the back of the palm has an uneven and dry surface covered with small cracks or villi. If she is constantly injured, then inflammation and pain occurs.
Vulgar warts are most often found between the fingers, on the upper hands, on the back of the hand. When they form on the fingertips or under the nail plates, a person may experience pain when doing some work, as these growths are often injured.
Wart Treatment
If viral warts occur, treatment should be aimed at strengthening immunity, destroying the virus, removing skin lesions and preventing relapse. In the presence of protective mechanisms, a person may not become infected or will quickly overcome the disease, so his nutrition should be complete and balanced, containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The diet must necessarily include vegetable and protein foods.
Methods of treating viral warts include conservative methods using agents with a keratolytic effect. Such drugs first soften the stratum corneum, which then devitalizes and is removed after a certain period of time. Very effective are ointments "Collomac" and salicylic, which easily remove viral flat warts. Solkoderm incorporates acids that mummify the skin, and a dense crust disappears after a week.
Wart removal
The most effective treatment is the removal of viral warts. To do this, use the following methods:
- laser removal;
- surgical excision;
- electrocoagulation;
- cryosurgery.
Such methods of treatment are used only when the growths change their color or heterogeneity of their surface appears, as well as during the propagation of papillomas. It is recommended to remove injured warts that have a partial tear of tissues that begin to bleed and get wet.
The most effective removal method is cryosurgical. In this case, using liquid nitrogen, the fluid is frozen out of the growth, after which tissue necrosis occurs . The resulting crust after a while disappears by itself, and the place of removal heals quickly enough.
Electrocoagulation is considered an equally effective method. In this case, an apparatus is used with a miniature loop or a needle that glows under the influence of an electric current, as a result of which the tissue is dissected quite easily. The procedure is very fast and is carried out under local anesthesia. Electrocoagulation eliminates warts of any size.
Gently removes the growths of the laser coagulator. The laser beam is easy to control, it does not heat the surrounding tissue, but acts only on the problem area. One procedure is enough to remove papillomas of any size.
Viral warts in children
In children, such growths are formed for the following reasons:
- access to the public pool;
- through common toys;
- in contact with a sick child;
- in direct contact with an infected animal.
The infection enters the body of children through microtrauma on the skin, due to high sweating of the legs, prolonged wearing of wet shoes.
For the treatment of warts, special ointments or plasters are used. The ointment is applied to the growth itself, and the result will be noticeable only after two weeks. In the absence of effect, special plasters are used, one side of which is impregnated with a solution of salicylic acid. A disk of the required shape is cut out of it and glued to the growth. Often, warts in children are temporary and disappear within a year after their appearance.
Output
If warts appear, you should definitely consult a doctor and not self-medicate. Such formations cause discomfort and pain. It is strictly forbidden to delete them yourself, this can aggravate the situation. Thanks to modern technology, getting rid of viral warts can be easily and painlessly.