A wart is a benign tumor of the skin that occurs due to the proliferation of cells in the epidermis and papillary dermis caused by the human papillomavirus and spreads through contact.
Warts: Causes, Types, Diagnosis and Treatment
A wart is a localized, primarily benign formation caused by epidermal hyperplasia. Papillomy growths and papules most often appear due to the activity of viral infections. The main reason for their occurrence is the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the body. HPV infection occurs through household contact, which results in the viral flora penetrating the skin or mucous membranes. Various lesions of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as a weakening of immunity, increase the risk of infection.
As statistics show, more than 60% of the population carries HPV. However, symptomatic HPV cannot occur even in a lifetime. Warts, many of which are called papillomas, appear on the skin and mucous membranes only if there are favorable factors for doing so.
There are different types of warts that are caused by one or another type of virus. All types of skin lesions can be localized either on the skin or mucous membranes. It is not always possible to remove the virus from the body.
Warts on the legs, arms and other parts of the body in adults
Both men and women are susceptible to human papillomavirus infection and, accordingly, the appearance of tumors such as warts on the skin and mucous membranes. The virus can enter the body, both with a standard handshake or using general hygiene products, and during sexual intercourse. Once in the human body, the virus enters the squamous epithelium of the skin and actively multiplies in it. The incubation period for HPV can range from one and a half months to six months.
Warts on the face, genitals and other parts of the body in women
Women’s warts can appear on any part of the body at any stage of life. They can vary in shape, color, and size, from white, tiny flat warts to dark genital warts on the mucous membranes of the genitals. It is worth noting that genital warts have been shown to cause the development of cervical cancer. In addition, the official confirmation received a link between warts, which are an external manifestation of HPV, and an increased risk of breast cancer.
Papillomas and warts in men
Stronger organisms are less susceptible to infection and active replication of the virus in general, especially the appearance of papillomas and warts. Only a sudden decrease in immunity caused by various diseases can provoke the appearance of benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes in men. It should be noted that papillomas and warts on the genitals of men are in the area of the coronal furrow and frenum, sometimes on the head or body of the penis, the integument at the entrance to the urethra, and directly on its mucosa, in the perianal region.
What types of warts do children have?
People of any age are prone to the appearance of warts. But warts are most common in children and adolescents. This can be caused by various papillomaviruses. Infection of a child’s body is usually done with contact and household devices. Children are much more likely to communicate closely with other babies in large groups and easily "catch" different viruses from each other. In addition, the child may be infected with the papillomavirus from the mother during intrauterine development or childbirth.
Warts: causes of appearance
There are several factors that can contribute to the appearance of warts. The spread of papillomavirus, as mentioned earlier, occurs through close contact with an infected person or their belongings. Moreover, a carrier of a virus that has no external manifestations can also be a source of infection. Autoinoculation or, in other words, self-infection is not ruled out. So warts on the face and neck can appear after shaving and cosmetic peeling. The same goes for papillomas and warts on the legs, chin and armpits. Various changes in the skin only increase the risk of HPV infection. This is often the case in swimming pools, gyms and saunas.
Provocative factors
The virus that causes warts is unlikely to penetrate the body of a healthy person with strong immunity. You may increase your risk of infection by:
- Damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
If present, contact with the infected person as a whole or an object with a virus on its surface is likely to result in infection. HPV can stay in the environment for about 2-3 hours. During this period, there is a fairly high probability that someone will become infected with it. Injuries (wounds, cuts, scratches), sweating and, accordingly, the constant moisture content of the skin only increase it.
- High humidity and warmth.
Such a provocative factor is most important in the appearance of warts on the legs. Uncomfortable parka shoes that cause excessive sweating on the feet, calluses and lesions on the skin can cause epithelial growth such as warts on the feet.
- Weakening of the immune system.
Even in the presence of the virus, the appearance of warts is far from always noticeable. A person can carry the virus for decades and is unaware of it. With strong immunity, the body constantly suppresses the virus, preventing it from multiplying. As the immune system weakens, the virus is immediately activated, leading to the appearance of external manifestations.
Seborrheic warts
As we age, there are significant changes in the human body that are reflected not only in their appearance but also in their health. Thus, disruption of the distribution of basal cells in the epidermis leads to the appearance of benign formations, so-called seborrheic warts. Otherwise, such warts are called senile. It is quite simple to identify senile warts based on their characteristic appearance:
- they are represented by protruding papules or plaques on the surface of the skin.
- tumors are round or oval;
- they are usually localized on the skin of closed areas of the body as well as on the face and scalp;
- the color of the warts may be yellow-brown, sometimes even black;
- the size of the formations can vary between 0, 5 and 4 cm.
The boundaries of the seborrheic wart are clear. They protrude slightly above the skin and may flatten slightly.
If you find these warts on your hands, face, body, or head, you should see a doctor. To determine the most effective, safest tactics for their treatment and removal, a differential diagnosis should be performed that differentiates seborrheic warts:
- Pigmented name.
These tumors are benign. Like seborrheic warts, the pigmented names are yellowish brown or dark, closer to black. Sometimes the surface of the nevi papilloma is covered with hair. Their size may vary. In their shape, these types of neoplasms may be represented by huge plaques or flat papules with a smooth surface.
- Dermatofibromas.
Such benign formation develops from the skin and connective tissues. In appearance, dermatofibromas bear some resemblance to moles and warts. The surface of the formations can be smooth and keratinized. Their shape is round. Dermatofibroma is located partly in the upper layers of the skin and partly above its surface. Most often, a single tumor is found. Their color can vary from gray-pink to purple. Sometimes dermatofibromas are brown or black in color. The size of the formations is about 1 cm.
- Melanoma.
Unlike dermatofibroma and the pigmented name, melanomas are malignancies. They appear at the site of moles or nearby tissue sites. Factors provoking the malignancy of skin cells are ultraviolet rays, various lesions.
Human papillomavirus infection
As mentioned earlier, HPV is the cause of HPV infection. To date, more than a hundred varieties are known that can affect the body in one way or another. Each type of virus causes certain types of warts:
- HPV 1 - benign formations on the palms and soles of the feet;
- HPV 2 - common (vulgar);
- HPV 3, 10, 28 and 29 - flat tumors;
- HPV 4 - plantar warts and vulgar warts;
- HPV 6, 11 - laryngeal papillomatosis and genital warts;
- HPV 5, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19-25, 36, 39, 40 - a common manifestation of the virus, which is wartic epidermodysplasia;
- HPV 7 - vulgar warts;
- HPV 13, 32 - focal proliferation of epithelial tissues;
- HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35 - malignancies such as carcinoma and genital dysplasia.
In addition, as immunity weakens, the human body becomes more susceptible to papillomavirus types 26 and 27. In some cases, HPV 30, 34, 37, and 38 can cause benign and malignant tumors.
It is also worth noting that some types of papillomaviruses are transmitted by households while others are sexually transmitted.
Types of warts: common, plantar and others, treatment
Quite a variety of papillomaviruses and other causes of warts cause different localizations and characteristics of the formations. So there are:
- Common warts, also known as vulgar warts.
They are most often localized on the skin of the hand. These growths can range in color from flesh to brown.
- Plantar warts.
Such formations grow deep into the tissues, causing painful sensations, and are accompanied by thrombosis of the capillaries, which bleed even with the slightest damage. Plantar warts require medical attention and should not be cut on their own or in a nail salon.
- Flat warts.
Their localization is usually observed on the skin of the neck, face, chest, knees, and forearms.
- Anogenital warts, commonly known as genital warts.
Such formations affect the skin and mucous membranes of the external genitalia as well as the perianal region. Their localization is possible at the entrance to the urethra followed by proximal propagation.
- Perianal warts.
Such formations are most commonly located in the anus and vagina, as well as in the tissues near the external genitalia of women. In men, perianal warts are localized at the anus.
- Laryngeal papillomatosis.
This manifestation of the virus occurs mainly in childhood. Masses can be diverse, posing a particular danger to life, causing blockages in the respiratory system.
Anogenital warts
Anogenital warts are benign tumors that are localized on the skin and mucous membranes of the external genitalia and in the perianal region. All anogenital warts are generally divided into:
- Typical condylomas.
Such warts are usually also localized at the entrance to the vagina, the anus, and the inner layer of the foreskin. In shape, such tumors may resemble cauliflower.
- Papular warts.
The surface of such tumors is smooth and free of keratinized layers.
- Hyperkeratotic warts.
Unlike previous warts, the surface of such anogenital formations is covered with keratinized tissue particles. Hyperkeratotic condylomas are mostly located on the outer leaf of the foreskin, on the body and scrotum of the penis in men, and on the labia majora in women.
- Flat warts.
The formations are represented by spots protruding slightly above the surface of the skin. They are virtually invisible and a person does not always identify them immediately.
Giant condylomes Buschke - Levenshtein
Carninoma-like genital warts occur when the HPV 16 virus enters the body. Some studies have shown that HPV viruses types 1, 6, 11, 18, 31, 33 spread both through contact and sexually to the appearance of warts. The second name of such education is the huge condyloma of Bushke-Levenshtein. The main differences are:
- rapidly increasing size;
- the possibility of re-education after treatment;
- destruction of nearby tissues;
- most likely a malignancy with the subsequent development of squamous cell carcinoma.
Young and old people are most susceptible to these types of tumors. In the male body, the virus appears with the appearance of genital warts on the glans of the penis and foreskin. Sometimes the Buschke-Levenshtein condyloma can be localized throughout the trunk of the penis. In the female body, the formations are usually located in the perianal, anorectal, and lumbar areas. The appearance of the face, oral mucosa and other areas of the skin and mucous membranes are not excluded.
Common warts on the fingers and other parts of the body
The most common benign skin lesions are vulgar warts, also known as common warts. In the appearance of such formations are hard and dry eminences on the skin. Their surface is uneven. Dimensions vary within a few millimeters. Most often, such warts are localized on the fingers and hands, as well as on the face. The color of neoplasms is usually grayish, yellow-brown, or flesh-colored.
Palm-foot warts on the arms and legs
Warts can easily appear on both the palms and soles of the feet. They come in a variety of shapes and colors, ranging from pale yellow to dark brown. These epithelial formations are common in the general population. It can be superficial and mosaic-like or deep (hyperkeratotic).
The treatment of palm and plantar warts is complex. The dermatologist must necessarily rule out lichen and wartic tuberculosis during a thorough diagnosis.
Flat warts on the face
Flat warts almost always have a small, smooth (rarely scaly) surface. Its color can be practically no different from the color of its skin, so people often live in such formations and don’t even notice them. Typically, such epithelial flat formations appear in whole groups on the skin.
The specialist will be able to detect and accurately identify flat warts on the face or back of the hand, for example, at the first appointment. A visual examination by a competent physician is sufficient to understand what he is dealing with. If the dermatologist has doubts about the presumed diagnosis, further diagnosis may be prescribed, including laboratory tests.
Diagnosis of human papillomavirus infection
The clinical manifestations of a wart depend primarily on where it developed. Each type of epithelial tumor described above has its own unique characteristics.
- Ordinary warts are characterized by pronounced hyperkeratosis (high rate of heel cell division and stimulation).
It can look like a bunch or dome shaped papules. Such warts appear mainly in places where there is an increased risk of tissue damage, i. e. on the skin of the hands, feet, elbows.
- Flat warts have flattened tips, are small in volume, and do not exceed 3-4 mm in diameter.
If the warts are visualized in the area of the skin folds, their initial diagnosis can be difficult because such papules or growths can manifest as flat or ordinary warts.
- Warts on the soles of the feet can also cause pain symptoms as these areas of the body are constantly subjected to trauma. The center of such an epithelial tumor may be slightly depressing.
It is also not uncommon for several warts on the sole to merge into a single structure and form a defined pattern in the form of a mosaic.
- For filamentous warts, such a problem can occur on the facial skin.
They grow quickly, so when they are detected, they try to remove them as a cosmetic defect.
- Warts can also be diagnosed in the oral cavity, where the formations are most often represented by whitish or pink small lumps.
Such a problem occurs in extremely rare cases, usually at a dental appointment or during routine examination of the body.
Warts: treatment
Wart-shaped epithelial tumors should only be treated under the strict supervision of your doctor. Therapy cannot be general because each case of the appearance and development of the disease is unique. Therefore, it is not advisable to use questionable medications on the advice of friends, advertising, or a pharmacist in a pharmacy.
To date, there is no specific therapy for human papillomavirus. For this reason, the treatment of warts is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the viral lesion.
If a patient is diagnosed with condyloma, this type of education necessarily requires well-chosen therapy because of the risk of malignant degeneration.
There are several methods for treating warts, each with its own characteristics. The efficacy of all therapeutic methods is approximately 70%.
Wart Remedy: External Therapy
The treatment of warts is primarily aimed at removing them. It can be done by physical intervention or medication.
Warts are treated in a complex way with external methods. Your doctor may prescribe cauterizing drugs and keratolytic drugs. This can be a 10% silver nitrate solution, a 50% lactic acid solution.
Your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicines for warts.
Cytotoxic drugs, such as fluorouracil cream, are also topical. Prescribed for the treatment of warts and all kinds of plasters with salicylic acid (40%).
Physical destruction of warts can be accomplished with liquid nitrogen and electrocoagulation. Tissue chemical destruction can be performed using salicylic acid or trichloroacetic acid, sodium silver solution, sodium hydroxide.
Immunotherapy is also used. After removing the wart, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.
Removal of warts at home is prohibited
Traditional medicine is considered by most to be safe for the treatment of many diseases. But this view is wrong because decoctions, infusions, and all sorts of compresses derived from essential oils and herbs can only play a complementary role and in no way be used as the main type of therapy.
Combined with therapeutic effects, the practitioner can prescribe recipes for alternative medicine with celandine, rowan fruits, wormwood, onions, flaxseed oil, and milkweed.
Warts removal at home is not performed. Education cannot be cut with sharp objects, pierced and cauterized. Only a competent physician should prescribe appropriate and safe therapy after the patient's condition has been diagnosed. Be careful not to treat it without a rash.
Laser wart removal and other methods
Modern medicine uses a number of surgical techniques to remove warts.
- Electrocoagulation is one of the best proven methods to remove various warts.
Manipulation is performed under local anesthesia using a coagulator. The high-frequency current delivered to the steel loop helps to thinly cut off the weight of the epithelium and prevents bleeding during and after surgery.
- Surgical excision is prescribed for extensive skin lesions.
The manipulation is performed under local anesthesia and then cosmetic sutures are applied, which are removed after about 1 week. A small scar may remain.
- Laser wart removal is the latest treatment method.
The effect of such manipulation may take the form of evaporation or coagulation of skin cells. Laser removal of warts is quick and completely painless because the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. After removal of the wart, a small depression may remain, which disappears after 12-20 days.
Laser removal is now offered by many medical centers and clinics.
- Warts are also removed at low temperatures.
Deep freezing of tissues leads to their death. Thus, cryodestruction of liquid nitrogen is performed.
Such removal of warts is accomplished using a cryoapplier or an applicator wand with a cotton swab. In any case, the procedure is effective and only takes a few minutes.
The applicator is applied to the wart (perpendicularly) and pressed lightly. The time it takes for an epithelial tumor to freeze depends primarily on its size. Freezing usually lasts 7-35 seconds.
It is important to know that any removal of warts does not guarantee that the problem will not reappear. The likelihood of regeneration depends on a number of factors, including the patient's immune system. According to statistics, relapse occurs after 3-4 months in more than 20% of patients. Therefore, many physicians prescribe general anti-relapse therapy in conjunction with surgical removal of warts.
Wart prevention
In order to protect yourself at least a little from a viral infection and reduce the risk of warts on your body, doctors above all advise you to lead a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary to constantly maintain the immune system competently, which loses its protective functions due to constant nervous strain, lack of sleep, malnutrition, and even a lack of vitamins.
Doctors recommend:
- Refusal of casual sex. It is advisable to have a permanent and healthy partner.
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene. Do not use other towels, go to a public bath without your own shoes.
- Treat skin lesions properly.
It is also important to eat right, live an active lifestyle, get rid of bad habits, get enough sleep, be less nervous because these factors negatively affect the immune system.