Few people would not face such a problem as warts on the body. These outbreaks can occur on the body in teenagers, adults and the elderly. Warts are usually not just a cosmetic problem, affecting a person’s appearance. And only in rare cases do these formations pose a major threat to health.
What is a wart?
Our skin has a smooth surface. In some cases, however, it may show protruding skin growth. They are called warts. These are usually permanent formations that do not change for many years.
The mechanism of warts is the growth of the top layer of the skin. The sizes of the formations range from 1 mm to several centimeters. This parameter depends on the type of formation and its location on the skin. Fusion of several warts is often observed. Meat skin otters usually have the color, but they can take on another shade, for example, pink or brown.
The medicine classifies warts as benign neoplasms. They do not grow and do not penetrate into the surrounding tissues.
In the international classification of diseases, the following codes are assigned to warts:
- B07 - viral wart,
- A63. 0 - venereal wart,
- L82 Keratoma Seborrheic
Most types of warts are viral, sexually transmitted warts are venereal, and seborrheic keratomas are non-infectious senile warts in nature.
The following skin lesions should be distinguished from warts:
- nevi (mole),
- calluses,
- malignant tumors,
- basal cell carcinoma,
- broad warts lead to syphilis.
Some of these formations can be life threatening. Therefore, if any suspicious formation on the body is visible, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Why do warts occur?
Warts are usually caused by a viral infection. The process of warts occurs as follows. The human papillomavirus enters skin cells and causes them to divide rapidly. As a result, growth or papilloma develops on the skin. However, there are types of warts that have nothing to do with the virus.
Strictly speaking, papilloma of the skin does not always occur. These formations are often found on the mucous membranes, inside the bladder, in the larynx, on the cervix, etc. However, it is common to call warts only papillomas that are visible on the skin.
Warts can be found on any part of the body. However, some species have their favorite places. For example, warts are usually found in the groin and anus; skin folding acrochords are preferred in the upper body.
The human papillomavirus virus does not multiply outside the body. However, it can survive for a long time in hot and humid places. That is why people are often infected with it when visiting baths, saunas, swimming pools. But the virus does not last long in the air - it is neutralized by the sun 's ultraviolet radiation.
According to a study, about 80% of the world’s population is infected with some form of human papillomavirus virus. There are a total of two hundred strains of these viruses. Some viruses are relatively harmless, others lead to papillomas, and others can cause malignant tumors. Some songs can be passed on from person to person. Therefore, certain types of warts can be contagious. But it is impossible to transmit the disease from frogs and toads, as well as other representatives of the fauna, contrary to popular belief. This is explained by the fact that animal papillomaviruses do not multiply in the human body.
You can become infected with a new type of virus through personal contact, shaking hands, sharing household items (for example, towels), while visiting public places (swimming pools, baths, saunas, transport), small woundsand sexually.
The papilloma virus that entered the body does not always look like the disease. The factors associated with the disease are usually stress, reduced immunity (for example, due to infectious diseases). At the same time, the virus can stay in the body for several years and stay in the wings.
Types of warts
Doctors distinguish between different types of warts:
- normal (vulgar),
- youth (flat),
- pointed (condylomas),
- senile,
- threadlike.
Birth signs (nevi) should be separated from these types of warts. Birth signs usually do not go from the surface of the skin and are dark in color, although there are exceptions.
Warts Vulgar
This type of warts occurs in 70% of cases. It is caused by the papilloma virus. Externally, papillomas vulgaris (normal) look like small semicircular formations on the surface of the skin. They are usually completely painless. The size of the formations ranges from several mm to 1 cm. Their surface is usually uneven, bumpy, often resembling the surface of a cauliflower. Color - flesh-colored, grayish, yellowish-brown. Often localized - hands, face, fingers, lips, knees, elbows. Mucous membranes are rarely affected.
Often, normal papillomas can disappear on their own. The peculiarity of this type of papillomas is that they often grow not only, but in groups. You can often get a large papilloma, around which small ones grow. If you remove the largest (maternal) papilloma, then the smaller ones usually disappear.
Common papillomas can occur at any age. They often occur in school-age children.
Teenage warts
This type of papillomas is most common in children and adolescents. But in people of mature age, they can also be seen. These papillomas are also often called flat papillomas. They make up only 4% of all warts.
They can often be hand-picked. They can also be observed on the feet and face, near the nails, between the toes, on the feet, and on the neck. They are often associated with hormonal changes in the body. Like normal papillomas, they are not very dangerous and can go away on their own. They do not usually cause physical discomfort, but they can make the appearance worse.
Flat papillomas are usually flesh-colored and protrude just above the surface of the skin (about 1–2 mm). They can reach a diameter of 5 mm, but are usually smaller than the soft ones. Flattened papillomas can occur near wounds and cuts. Young papillomas usually have a smooth surface and uneven borders, although well defined. Due to the lack of a stratum coil on the surface, they can become shiny.
Plantar warts
This is a very unpleasant type of skin growth that occurs on the feet. Sometimes they are forgotten on horns. However, plantar papillomas have a characteristic that distinguishes them. If your plantar wart is damaged, it will usually bleed. For corns, this phenomenon is not typical. While out, papillomas on the legs may look calluses - they are usually hard and keratinized. Its dirty color is usually gray, dark yellow or dirty with a brown tint. Black dots may appear on their surface.
One plantar wart is often found on the leg. But they can meet in groups, as well as grow together. Plantar papillomas grow not only outside the skin, but also deeper.
Externally, this type of warts may look normal. They are usually semicircular in shape. However, if a person constantly develops such a skin formation, then he can take a flattened form.
The appearance of papillomas on the bases with age has little to do with; they can be seen in young people and the elderly. These formations can also be observed in children.
Plantar papillomas can cause discomfort and even severe pain while walking. When you turn on such a desert, you seem to be stepping on a small pebble. Externally, sometimes warts can look like thorns. Therefore, people call this type of spikes papillomas.
In a calm position, these formations can cause itching. Like other types of papillomas, plantar warts develop under the influence of the papilloma virus. The virus often enters the skin of the feet from the environment. For example, it is not uncommon to catch this virus by visiting a swimming pool without rubber boots. Uncomfortable shoes also contribute to the presence of skin lesions, as they often occur in places where shoes rub the feet. Heavy sweating and inadequate foot hygiene are contributing factors.
It is not recommended to touch the papillomas on the sole tone with your hands, as this way you can transfer the virus to other areas of the skin.
Treatment of plantar warts
Sometimes papillomas of this type can go away on their own. This happens in about half of the cases. But sometimes it takes a long time to wait for this moment, and not everyone can afford it, especially if the education feels itself through painful emotions. If a soreness of the leg causes sharp pain, if it does not allow walking, it must be removed. Also, education more than 1 cm must be removed. The transfer operation can only be performed in the doctor's office.
If there is any suspicion that the formation on the foot is associated with any type of papillomas, the doctor can perform some diagnostic procedures. These include scraping and analysis of the cornea of the stratum, PCR analysis of the presence of the genome of the papilloma virus. To determine the shape and size of the gel, an ultrasound scan is performed. Syphilis warts require a differential diagnosis of leg warts. However, extensive diagnostic measures are not usually performed, since it is not difficult to diagnose papilloma on the leg.
Sometimes it is possible to try medication to remove growth on the leg. For removal of warts, preparations with salicylic acid, necrotizing agents, freezing aerosols, and special plasters are suitable. However, medication is usually not a quick procedure. You can quickly remove a wart only with the help of tools available in medical institutions. These methods are:
- laser,
- surgical,
- electric heating,
- cryodestruction,
- radio wave.
Any type of procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages. The surgical method, for example, is mainly used for large skin outbreaks, because it seriously hurts the skin.
Genital warts
This is a special type of wart. They are usually found in the genital area. Their shape is also unusual, since they look like papillae (hence their name). However, warts can have an irregular shape, like cauliflower or cockscomb. The viruses that cause this type of warts are usually sexually transmitted. Also, condylomas can be observed on the mucous membranes, in the anus. Therefore, such warts are often called anogenital or venereal. Less commonly, condylomas are found in the amps, in women under the mammary glands. Flesh warts are pink in color. Sometimes several genital warts can grow together. Also, condylomas of this species can grow to large sizes. Warts can cause painful sensations during intercourse, defecation. If injured, they can bleed. Women with genital warts can also develop cervical cancer.
Warts filiform
This type of wart is extremely common. Filiform warts, or acrochords, often grow in large groups. Acrochords are best for areas with thin skin. This is the area of the armpits, neck, shoulders, eyelids, wings of the nose. It can occur in the groin area, under the mammalian glands in women. They usually do not bother a person and do not hurt, but they can itch.
Externally, filament warts are like long strands. However, acrochords are often found with a thin filiform stem, to which a thick body is attached, usually spherical or hemispherical. They are also filiform. Such warts are called pendulous.
Most warts of this type are between 1 mm and 5 mm. There are also acrochords that are larger than 1 cm. Sometimes several filamentous warts grow together.
Acrochords are rare in children. They are typical of people over the age of 35. And over the years, their numbers tend to increase. In people over the age of 70, this type of warts is observed in 100%. The tendency for the body to have a large number of acrochords can also be inherited. Acute is often associated with being overweight. In women, they can occur during pregnancy.
Filament warts have one unpleasant feature. If a filamentous wart is torn, a new one will soon grow in its place. Acrochords rarely go on their own. Their appearance is promoted by increased sweating, decreased immunity.
Senile warts
This type of wart has another name - seborrheic keratoma. It usually occurs in people over the age of 60. Unlike other types of warts, senile keratomas are not caused by the human papillomavirus. The exact reasons for their occurrence have not been established. Keratomas are most likely associated with age-related changes in the body. They develop from the basal layer of the epidermis, which is why they are often called basal cell papillomas. Although this is not an okay name, because real papillomas are not caused by viruses alone. Inheritance plays a significant role in the emergence of these neoplasms. Senile keratomas can often resemble melanoma. Therefore, if they occur, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he can make a diagnosis. However, senile keratomas usually do not require treatment and do not turn into malignant tumors.
Externally, keratomas resemble pink or yellowish papules with a thickness of 1-2 mm. Its size ranges from 2 mm to 3 cm. Sometimes warts of this type reach a size of 4-6 cm. Keratomas have a fatty, easily removable crust. Their surface is uneven, as if corrugated. Growing up, keratomas often resemble a mushroom cap, and their color changes to black or dark brown. Their surface becomes hard, they can crack.
More often, keratomas are located on the neck and chest. It can be viewed in groups. They are less often seen on the hands and face. They are not present on the mucous membranes. There are usually no more than 20 keratomas on the body. If a person has many senile warts, then this is often due to hereditary factors.
Senile keratomas do not go away on their own. People with too many seborrheic keratomas on the body are advised to increase the amount of vitamin C in their diet to prevent new growths. You should also avoid exposure to direct sunlight, overheating, hypothermia, stress.
Treatment
Most papillomas are not a serious threat. After an injury, however, they can cause injury, bleeding. After that, there is a risk of developing malignant tumors. Although in papillomas and keratomas, the risk of malignant transformation is much lower than in moles.
Papillomas are usually treated by removal (surgical, with the help of a cold, high-frequency or laser electric current). Therapeutic treatments are usually less effective.
The sign to remove it is the bitterness of the formation of the skin, its large size, bleeding, change of shape, rather uncomfortable location (for example, on the toe, on the soles, in the genital area), aesthetic considerations. Warts are also subject to removal.