First you need to understand what warts are. In essence, it is a skin disease that is characterized by the appearance of small formations. The size of such formations varies from 1 mm to 1 or more centimeters.
The cause of warts is viral. They can be transmitted from person to person through a simple handshake or through the use of objects that have been used by a sick person. The incubation period can last several months. That's why when warts form on your body, it can be very difficult to remember who "gave them" to you.
It must be said that there are different types of warts, so the attitude towards them must be extremely delicate. They can be located on the back of the hands, on the face and even on the scalp. On the feet, warts are usually found on the soles. If they are painless in the arms, they can cause a lot of inconvenience in the legs. Its formation can be promoted by sweating of the feet and the pressure of footwear.
A special place is occupied by juvenile warts that appear during adolescence. Normally, these warts are small in size and are located on the hands and face. For any type of wart, a doctor should be consulted to rule out the possibility of other skin diseases.
Therefore, genital warts are sometimes confused with warts and require consultation with a venereologist and a urologist. Any new growth on the skin should require the utmost attention. It happens that a skin tumor is confused with a wart, and this is extremely dangerous, especially if you are going to remove it. In this case, you should not resort to home remedies!
These procedures should only be performed by a medical professional, first ensuring that it is a wart. It is not recommended to remove all warts, this method is used as a last resort: if the wart causes discomfort or bleeds, if the wart causes aesthetic discomfort, if the wart has reached a large size, if it is growing.
Otherwise, it is better to treat the warts. The treatment must be carried out by a doctor and he must monitor you throughout the treatment period. It must be said that inadequate treatment can contribute to the degeneration of a wart into a malignant tumor. Therefore, contact only specialists.
types of warts
Warts are most commonly diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but they can also appear in adults. In medicine, the following types of warts are distinguished:
- Simple/vulgar.It is the most common type of skin tumor, in 70% of cases it is diagnosed in school-age children. Most often, warts of this type appear on the hands, but they can also appear on the edges of the lips and on the neck. Simple warts are distinguished by the presence of a larger "mother" wart; If it is removed, the smaller tumors disappear.
- Flat/youthful.They are rare: only up to 4% of diagnosed cases. They are found on the back of the hands, along the edges of the lips, on the head of the penis and on the oral mucosa.
- Palmoplantar.They appear in places where there is the most active pressure from uncomfortable shoes. Diagnosis of this type of warts is usually difficult, because the specialist must differentiate the neoplasm in question from corns and calluses.
- Like a thread.It has a specific appearance: a small "tail" made of thin leather, there can be many of them and they are always arranged in a "cluster". It is most commonly found in the armpits, neck, and under the breasts.
Methods for removing warts on the body and hands directly depend on the type of tumor that will be diagnosed in the patient.
It is worth knowing another feature of warts: they do not have an exact description of their "appearance". For example, a plantar wart may be a small rounded bump with a dark center, but a simple wart is a growth on the skin that has a heterogeneous structure. The easiest way to answer the question "What does a wart look like? " is if it is the thread type: an "icicle" appears on the skin that does not cause pain or irritation. It is noteworthy that frequent rubbing of a wart causes its inflammation and irritation: it becomes red and can cause pain.
Where do warts come from?
It's all due to the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is most often transmitted by direct contact with a wart or personal items of an infected person. Four of the dozens of types of HPV are responsible for the appearance of skin warts.
HPV can easily be called "cunning. "A person may not suspect for a long time that he has become the owner of HPV.
After infection, the virus localizes to the upper layer of the epidermis and may not make itself known for a long time. But as soon as the protective mechanisms are weakened, the virus becomes active and manifests itself in the form of one or more warts.
From the moment of infection to the appearance of skin formations, it can take from a week to several months.
Locations
Which doctor to contact in case of warts depends directly on the location of the growths.
Depending on the variety, warts can grow all over the body and, in particular:
- in the leg and arm, in the foot;
- in the armpit area, under the breasts and on their surface;
- on the face, neck and head;
- in male and female genital organs;
- on the mucous membrane of the vagina, esophagus, larynx;
- in the mouth. on the tongue and inner surface of the cheeks and lips;
- on the body under clothing.
Reasons for appearance
It is very easy to contract the human papillomavirus (HPV).
It is enough to have close contact with a person who has growths on the skin.
However, the disease does not appear immediately and warts may not begin to grow until several months or years after infection.
Factors that influence HPV activity:
- weakened immunity;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- stress;
- malnutrition;
- bad habits;
- passive lifestyle.
What to do if a wart has already appeared
Let's go back to the survey results. Only 28% of respondents with warts consulted a doctor. It seems that the prospect of surgical removal procedures is more frightening than the wart itself. 34% of the study participants tried to remove warts on their own and 16% decided not to take any action, as they did not attach any importance to it.
Why do you need to get rid of warts?
For those who are still unsure about removing warts, it is important to know the following.
- First, warts are contagious. To do this, direct contact with the wart or the wearer's personal hygiene items is sufficient.
- Secondly, warts tend to "conquer territory", that is, to spread to healthy areas of the skin. This process is called autoinoculation (autoinfection).
Obviously, it is easier to treat warts in the early stages of the disease, which will save time, effort and money in the future. In addition, products for self-removal of warts can be purchased in pharmacies.
When to see a doctor
- if the wart quickly changes shape, color, or all together;
- if the wart has an uneven color;
- if the boundaries of the wart are blurred (in this case, it is most likely not a wart);
- if the wart is constantly painful or injured (this increases the risk of it developing into something more serious);
- if the number of warts increases gradually;
- if the wart bleeds or itches;
- if a wart has formed in the genital area.
Which doctor treats warts in children and adults?
If growths appear on any part of the body, you should contact a doctor who specializes in the treatment of skin diseases - a dermatologist.
- It is he who performs the examination and decides whether further diagnostics are necessary (blood test, PCR test, biopsy).
- In some doubtful cases, when a wart shows signs of a malignant tumor, a dermatologist may recommend consulting an oncologist or dermato-oncologist.
- In most cases, the doctor decides to remove the wart and then its tissue is sent for histological examination to ensure that there are no malignant signs.
- Warts on the mammary glands in women can cause breast cancer and require examination by a mammologist.
wart removal
Wart removal is a radical method and is carried out in several ways. Warts can be removed with a laser. Along with this, cryotherapy and electrocoagulation methods are used. You can effectively remove warts using homeopathic medicines. Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses.
When choosing a method to remove a wart, the doctor is usually guided by the location of the wart on the body. Therefore, laser removal can leave scars. Scar formation is sometimes observed after using the Surgitron device, so it is up to the doctor to choose the method of removing warts: depending on where they are located.
Cryotherapy and electrocoagulation are gentle methods for removing warts. Electrocoagulation is carried out using a special device that uses high-frequency current. As a result of the use of this device, the temperature of the tissue increases and the wart is destroyed, which causes the death of the virus.
Cryotherapy is also cauterization, but only with liquid nitrogen. The procedure is quite painless and does not leave scars. Speaking about these two methods, it is worth noting that their use eliminates contact with blood, which is extremely important. You can only trust a doctor with experience in this field to remove warts.
After removing warts, you should think about how to avoid getting this infection again.Under no circumstances should warts be pulled off or tied with thread at the base so that they fall off on their own! Such unreasonable behavior can lead to serious health problems; For example, the resulting wound may become infected and, due to hardening of the tumor base, blood flow may be impaired.
A dermatologist or cosmetologist will tell you how to get rid of warts on the hands of children and adults, what procedures will help you forget about tumors on the body and face; she can contact any of these specialists. There are three main methods to get rid of warts:
- Laser therapy.Typically, this method is used to remove warts in the most sensitive and painful places, or if the patient wants to avoid scars. Removing warts on the face with a laser is the optimal solution, since this procedure is painless, does not require a long recovery period, and there are no scars on the skin afterwards.
- Cryodestruction.It involves the use of liquid nitrogen, which literally burns the tumor without leaving marks on the skin, although in some cases a small scar may remain. After removing warts with liquid nitrogen, the patient should avoid direct exposure to sunlight; in the future, a small whitish spot may remain at the site of the procedure.
- Drug therapy.It is used in conjunction with the previous methods. There are many medications that have a local effect and help destroy the wart more quickly. The most effective remedy for warts is celandine extract, which is applied punctually to the growth. You should not use the celandine plant yourself to treat warts; If its juice comes into contact with healthy skin, it causes severe burns.
Getting rid of this type of skin tumor must be comprehensive. It is not enough to visit a doctor and find out what causes warts on the fingers or face, it is necessary to follow all the prescriptions and recommendations of a specialist. Even with adequate treatment, relapses of the disease are recorded quite often: in 40-50% of cases, warts reappear.
You can find more information about what warts are, which doctor to contact to treat a plantar wart and what is meant by the term "general therapy for human papillomavirus" on the pages of our website.
Is it possible to remove warts yourself?
Warts can be removed yourself at home, but only after diagnosis by a specialist.
There are special burning pharmaceuticals that can eliminate the growth after the first use. They have a cauterizing and necrotizing effect.
These medications are toxic and can cause burns to the tissue surrounding the wart, so they should be used with caution. It is not advisable to remove warts at home in places with especially delicate and sensitive skin (face, neck, mammary glands and genitals). You should also make sure that the wart is completely gone and that no root or other part of it remains. The ability of warts to reproduce is so great that even a small piece of tissue can become a source of infection in healthy areas of the dermis.
When using pharmaceutical drugs, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions for use and pay close attention to contraindications. Most of them are prohibited for use in children, pregnant and lactating women.
Warts are external manifestations of an unsatisfactory internal state of the body. It is important not only to get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but to continually fight the virus. The human immune system is able to independently cope with the causative agent of the disease if it receives all possible help. To do this, it is enough to lead an active and healthy lifestyle, strengthen the body with sports and healthy eating.
Complications
Anogenital warts under certain conditions (for example, in case of infection with sexually transmitted infections, decreased general and/or local immunity) can increase in size and grow, thereby worsening a person's sexual life and significantly reducing its quality. of life.
In addition, due to prolonged mechanical impact on them, inflammation and suppuration of anogenital warts, as well as their ulceration, may develop. In rare cases, its malignant degeneration is possible.
Recommendations for patients with warts.
- Since two-thirds of cases resolve spontaneously within two years, warts can be seen without treatment. As old lesions resolve, new warts may appear. This is not a consequence of treatment failure, but is part of the natural history of HPV infection.
- Treatment usually lasts many weeks or months, so patience and perseverance are needed for therapy to be successful.
- Tools that have been used to remove warts, such as nail files and pumice stones, should not be used on healthy skin or by other people. For the same reason, if warts are located in areas of the skin that have hair, depilatories or electric shavers should be used to remove hair from these areas, or not remove hair at all, thus limiting the spread of the warts. warts.
- To monitor and evaluate the results of treatment, a repeat visit to the doctor is necessary. • If the patient performs the treatment at her expense, she may schedule follow-up visits with the doctor at her discretion.
Prevention
Preventive measures include:
- vaccination with a quadrivalent vaccine (against HPV types 6 and 11, 16, 18);
- exclusion of casual sexual contacts;
- use of barrier contraceptive methods (condom);
- compliance with personal hygiene standards;
- timely and adequate treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs;
Frequently asked questions
What doctor treats warts?
For warts it is best to consult a dermatologist. A dermatologist specializes in treating skin conditions and has experience removing warts.
Is it possible to go to a general practitioner with a wart problem?
Yes, you can consult a general practitioner, such as a family doctor. He will be able to carry out an initial consultation and, if necessary, refer you to a specialist: a dermatologist.
What methods of treating warts do doctors use?
Doctors can use a variety of methods to treat warts, including cryotherapy (freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen), chemical removal, electrocautery (using an electric current to remove the wart), and laser removal. The doctor will choose the most appropriate method based on the characteristics of the wart and the individual characteristics of the patient.
Helpful tips
Tip #1
Consult a dermatologist. A dermatologist specializes in skin conditions and can help you with warts. He will perform an examination, make a diagnosis and offer the most effective treatment.
Tip #2
Visit an oncodermatologist. Warts may be associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause skin cancer. A dermatologist oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, so he or she can perform additional tests and recommend appropriate treatment if necessary.