Of course almost everyone has heard the word "wart" and, most likely, frowned in disgust at the same time, thinking about how unpleasant, and possibly dangerous, an infectious disease is. Some remember from childhood: you can not touch the frog - there will be warts. Someone authoritatively declares that "it will pass by itself" and in general, it’s like a mole and it’s not scary at all, while others are very scared to catch it. There is a lot of speculation about this disease due to the fact that not everyone knows the true cause of the pathology.
Be warned is armed forward. Therefore, it is important to understand why people grow warts, what they are, why they are dangerous, and whether they have anything to do with frogs.
Types of warts
Warts are skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which lives and reproduces only in the epithelium and mucous membranes. Under certain conditions, the virus begins to appear on the surface of the epithelium in the form of growths. Neoplasms can have different sizes - both small and relatively large, and color - from pink to dark brown.
HPV has a large number of strains and this is what causes many different types of warts.
flat warts (juvenile)
Such neoplasms resemble outer round spots of irregular shape. It occurs in adolescents entering puberty. Their appearance is closely related to the hormonal rearrangement of young organisms. They give a lot of unpleasant sensations - from psychological discomfort to itchy skin. Often itchy flat warts, for other species this is not a feature. Most often, this type of skin inflammation occurs on the face, neck, arms and legs. They usually go away on their own and do not require serious intervention.
Vulgar warts (common)
They are dense growths that resemble nodules. This type is the most common. The fact is that it is visible on the hands and fingers, the palms of the hands, allowing HPV to easily move from a sick person to a healthy one. The virus enters the body through damage to the skin when touched or in the process of using household items. The main reason for the appearance of warts on the hands lies precisely in the ease of transmission of the disease and non -compliance with basic hygiene rules.
One of the common wart subspecies is plantar warts. They affect the lower part of the foot: feet, heels, toes. Such growth brings a lot of grief, because it is very painful, especially when walking.
Often, normal warts disappear completely within six months to a year, but in some cases they may not disappear much longer.
Filiform warts
This type of neoplasm is soft and round. Often, such warts appear in the elderly, in women with problematic pregnancies and during menopause, because their occurrence is associated with hormonal imbalances. First of all, delicate skin areas are affected: face, neck, inguinal zone, armpits. The presence of folds on the body and excessive sweating also contribute to the spread of epithelial growth.
Unlike the previous two types, this type of skin formation requires careful monitoring and treatment under expert supervision. It is important to know that it will not go away on its own and may need to be removed.
Genital warts
Different types of warts that affect the genitals, anus, or more rarely the mouth. It is a tumor on the foot, having the shape of ice. With the development of the disease develops, becoming like cauliflower.
Warts often develop into malignant tumors, so their appearance and growth should be monitored by a specialist.
cause
Nearly half of the world’s population is infected with the human papillomavirus, but not every carrier is aware of this. For a long time, HPV was unable to manifest itself, while maintaining vital activity. Warts or condylomas come out at this time when the conditions for its development become good, that is, with a decrease in the protective function of the human body. In fact, weakened immunity is the main cause of the appearance of warts and genital warts on different parts of the body.
Provoking factors:
- hormonal failure in the body (puberty, pregnancy, menopause);
- metabolic diseases;
- unprotected intercourse;
- non -compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
- dry skin of the hands or, conversely, severe sweating;
- circulatory disorders;
- the presence of micro damage in the epithelium.
By the way, as practice shows, the appearance of warts has nothing to do with frogs, so we can safely say that this is just an illusion.
Diagnostics
Each type of wart is characterized by a special structure and a set of features inherent in it. This makes it possible to quickly diagnose and prescribe the right treatment.
External examination of the neoplasm is enough for a dermatologist to distinguish warts from other skin diseases (lichen planus, tuberculosis warts on the skin, etc. ). In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the growths are of good quality and to identify the degree of their oncogenicity. To do this, conduct research with PCR and biopsy. Also, to determine the virus strain and its concentration level, a Digene HPV test was performed. Thanks to him, the prognosis for the development of neoplasms is built, the method of therapy is determined.
When skin growths appear, sick people do not rush to see a doctor and treat them, because warts have no acute symptoms. Sometimes neoplasms can be itchy. In most cases, this growth does not bother its owner, except for its unesthetic appearance.
There are several pointers to contacting a specialist. First of all, it is:
- rapid growth of warts (size more than 2 cm is an indication for surgery);
- itching, tingling, burning, pain in growth;
- sharp blackness of the neoplasm;
- triggers the inflammatory process (pus, the appearance of blood);
- the emergence of new formations around one growth;
- changes in shape and structure.
With genital warts, additional studies are mandatory.
Effective Treatment
You can quickly get rid of warts, provided the growth is of good quality. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate those that deprive a person of psychological comfort, cause pain or are located in places where they are easily injured. The most commonly used for treatment are:
- Pharmacy fund. Methods of drug struggle also include immunotherapy, local topical application of drugs containing acid, retinoic acid, use of hormonal ointments. The necessary medication is prescribed by a doctor.
- Restoration of the people. We are talking about the use of various types of medicinal plants and fruits. For example, such folk methods are considered effective:
- Compressed from raw onions soaked in vinegar. Vegetables are tied to the warts for several nights in a row. In order not to burn the skin around the formation, it is recommended to seal it with adhesive tape. Rubbing the warts with a portion of freshly chopped potatoes helps get rid of them.
- The most popular and proven method is the cauterization of warts with celandine juice. This procedure should be carried out twice a day, using freshly harvested grass. The juice of this plant can burn the skin, so the procedure is carried out strictly locally.
- Another effective remedy is a mixture of dandelion juice, milk weed, rowan berries, sour apples, onions, garlic, and lemon. There are no specific proportions - the amount of each ingredient is determined by points. The resulting mixture is applied to warts three times a day.
- They remove hard growths on the hands with the help of vinegar, dripping it onto problem areas. For a brighter effect, a mixture of vinegar and flour is also used - a paste -like mass must be applied to the wart, wait for it to dry and then wrapped overnight.
- For cauterization, a mixture of finely grated garlic, lemon juice and flour is often used. It should also be used at night for some time.
- Horseradish juice also has a cauterizing effect. The roots are grated, mixed with salt and used on growth.
- operations and other methods. Do not ignore the traditional ways to get rid of warts, which are practiced in medical institutions. First of all, this
- Cut the warts without damaging adjacent tissues using a radio wave scalpel under local anesthesia. Now this procedure is used less often, because there is a high probability of scarring in the place where the warts are removed. However, if the growth size exceeds 2 cm, the operation is carried out without fail. This method allows you to completely remove the warts.
- Cryotherapy - the formation is frozen with liquid nitrogen, which prevents its cells from vital activity, after the event it will no longer grow.
- Electrocoagulation - cauterization of growth. Getting rid of such problems is considered quick and effective.
Aesthetic medicine clinics also offer services to remove skin formation with laser or phototherapy.
Do not forget: when warts of any kind appear, it is best to see a doctor! Often, neoplasms caused by HPV are benign and do not require serious intervention. However, for sure, it is better to pass the required test.
Prevention
Of course, the surest way to protect yourself from the appearance of unpleasant skin diseases is by having strong immunity. Unfortunately, few people can be proud of this. Therefore, to reduce the risk of wart and condyloma infections, it is important to adhere to the rules of hygiene, namely:
- wash hands thoroughly, bathe or shower frequently and teach children to do the same, as children get sick more often than adults;
- do not use other people's hygiene items;
- when visiting baths, saunas, swimming pools, take replaceable personal shoes, do not lean on the naked part of the body on the seating area, shower wall and steam room;
- treat abrasions, cuts, small wounds with timely disinfectant;
- exclude unprotected sexual intercourse, use barrier contraceptives;
- to vaccinate against the most dangerous types of HPV.