Warts are skin growths in the form of nodules or papillae. This is the most common skin pathology that occurs in more than 90% of the world's population. Warts can appear on any person, at any age, on absolutely all areas of the skin, from the face to the feet. The disease is often contagious, it all depends on the person's immune system.
What causes warts
There is a common belief that touching a frog causes warts. This is a delusion. The causative agent of the disease resulting in the formation of warts is human papillomavirus infection. According to statistics, this infection causes about 20% of all cancers.
The risk of HPV infection increases significantly:
- when using other people's personal hygiene products and common items;
- in public places (swimming pool, bathhouse, etc. ), especially when walking there barefoot;
- in case of skin damage;
- with increased sweating of the hands and feet;
- in contact with an infected person (handshake, sexual intercourse, etc. );
- when walking in tight, uncomfortable shoes that cause friction on the skin of the feet;
- when using non-sterile tools (in a beauty salon, etc. ).
Are warts always dangerous?
Most warts are completely harmless and can theoretically disappear within a few weeks or at most a month. In this case, patients are worried about a serious cosmetic defect that causes more psychological discomfort and prevents them from leading a full lifestyle.
Warts are often painless unless they are on the soles of the feet or some other part of the body that is subject to shock or constant contact. However, there are cases of itching and discomfort in the affected area.
How to recognize warts: symptoms and signs
An inexperienced person can confuse warts with other skin growths, for example, mole, callus, melanoma.
The main differences between warts and moles:
- moles have a dark or black color, and warts have a light color;
- warts grow closely together with the skin, moles are separate structures, as if attached to the body;
- moles are soft and smooth to the touch, warts are hard, hard and rough.
Warts are also easy to distinguish from calluses. When pressing on the growth, painful sensations will appear, and if it is peeled off, traces of bleeding will appear under it. Beneath the callus is new, sensitive skin.
Warts can be distinguished from melanoma by color and shape. This dangerous disease is characterized by heterogeneous red and black shades, spread and uneven outline.
It is not difficult for a dermatologist to make a correct diagnosis using a visual examination. But a good specialist will not be satisfied with a simple inspection. He will definitely use a special magnifying device - a dermatoscope. If a pathogenic process is suspected, scraping of the surface layer will be required.
In case of anogenital warts (located around the anus and on the genitals), a consultation with a gynecologist or proctologist is necessary.
What is the structure of benign neoplasms?
Growths consist of cells that have partially retained their original function and are capable of slow growth. They are similar in structure to the tissues from which they are formed. They can exert pressure on nearby tissues, but do not penetrate them because they have a capsule in their structure. They respond well to hardware and surgical treatment and, as a rule, do not cause relapses.
There are always congenital formations on the skin - moles or warts, as well as acquired ones. The latter are formed on the surface or in the subcutaneous layer as a result of metabolic disorders, reduced immunity or the effect of a virus.
Common (simple, vulgar) warts
Common warts are dense, dry growths characterized by an uneven and rough surface to the touch, variable size and a round shape. They look like a hard, keratinized blister up to 1 cm in diameter that rises significantly above the surface of the skin.
The surface of common warts is often covered with grooves and ridges, so the new growth vaguely resembles a cauliflower or raspberry with black dots inside.
This is the most common type of wart, accounting for 70% of all such skin neoplasms. Simple warts can appear on the skin at any age, but most often affect children and young adults. This is due to the fact that they have a weaker immune system than adults.
Common warts usually appear on the hands (fingers and backs of the hands), knees and elbows, sometimes on the face or legs, and extremely rarely on the mucous membranes of the mouth.
A scattering of small growths may appear next to the large "mother" wart. Young neoplasms usually remain flesh-colored, over time they acquire a dirty gray or gray-brown, less yellow or pink color. This is due to their uneven porous surface that collects dirt.
Vulgar warts usually do not cause discomfort: they do not cause unpleasant symptoms, do not hurt and do not itch. However, they can cause pain in the affected areas or when they come into contact with clothing. Growths may heal on their own over time, especially if they occur in childhood.
Why do benign formations appear on the skin?
Cosmetologists and dermatologists do not know the exact mechanism of their formation. It is often caused by:
- injuries;
- viruses;
- systemic diseases of the body, for example, xanthomas, occur due to excess fat in the blood;
- long-term skin diseases;
- exposure to aggressive substances;
- excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
- x-rays;
- heredity (for example, seborrheic dermatosis).
Most skin lesions are benign
Plantar (spike) warts
Plantar warts are a type of common warts. The manifestation of the disease is most often observed in children and 20-30 years old. Plantar warts occur in 30% of all skin warts.
Heel warts look like hard, round lumps with papillae in the middle. Inside the wart, characteristic black dots appear - many small thrombosed capillaries. Along the edges there is a small roll of keratinized skin. The visible part, which rises only 1-2 mm above the surface of the skin, can reach 2 cm in diameter and is only a quarter of the total size of a plantar wart, which is formed mainly in the deeper layers of the epithelium (skin). ).
Externally, the spine looks like a callus. A plantar wart can be distinguished (differentiated) from a callus by the visible incision of the skin pattern corresponding to the wart.
This type of neoplasm usually affects the feet (soles, sides and toes), and less often the palms. On the skin, they appear as small whitish, definite skin lesions, sometimes itchy. Over time, their surface becomes rougher and changes color - from yellow to dark brown.
Plantar warts themselves do not pose a threat to health, but they cause considerable discomfort to a person when walking, cause pain, often intensify and even cause bleeding. This is related to the location of the tumor and the characteristics of its growth. As the spine grows inward, the weight of the body compresses the pain receptors when walking.
The incubation period of the disease is from several days to several years. The infection enters the body and goes into standby mode for the activation of a favorable environment. Plantar warts resolve in 50% of cases without treatment. But this process lasts from 8 months to a year and a half.
Without treatment, plantar warts will grow and multiply, even forming large clusters of tumors. It can even cause temporary incapacitation due to excruciating pain that prevents walking.
According to the characteristics of the lesion and its location, plantar warts are divided into 3 types:
- simple;
- periungual;
- mosaic.
Do benign compounds hide danger?
Benign neoplasms are unpredictable structures that may appear at any time or not at all. The process of their transformation into malignant ones is not fully understood. There is no clear answer to the question of what exactly activates this process. Mechanical trauma, excessive ultraviolet radiation, metabolic disorders and other factors are believed to cause degeneration. One way or another, if you have a benign skin lesion, you should not experiment and rely on luck. Moreover, it is not difficult to remove it today.
Periungual plantar warts
Periungual warts are small, rough formations with cracks on the surface of a person's hands and feet, that is, located deep near or under the nail plate. Outwardly, they look like heads of cauliflower.
They can be flat, pointed or hemispherical. As a rule, periungual warts are gray in color, but they can also be flesh-colored. They are not as dense as the simple plantar ones, but they have deep enough roots.
This disease mainly affects children and young people. The main factor of infection is microtraumas of the skin around the nail. Especially at risk are those who bite their nails and feed stray animals, as well as those who carelessly take cuts, use non-disinfected tools, and work in water without gloves.
This type of neoplasm does not pose a threat to human health, it is mostly only a cosmetic defect. Periungual plantar warts do not cause discomfort and pain when pressed. However, a wart under the nail is not so harmless - over time, the neoplasm leads to exhaustion and further destruction of the nail plate.
In addition, various bacteria and viruses often enter through the cracks on the surface of growths, which are easily formed as a result of manual work, and cause re-infection. Also, cracks can cause pain as warts grow. The cuticle is often lost and a tendency to inflammation (paronychia) develops.
Tumor removal is necessary to stop the spread of growths that easily spread to healthy fingers. The localization of the wart under the nail plate makes treatment and removal very difficult. When it appears in childhood or adolescence, it may go away on its own.
Where do warts come from - they are contagious!
Like herpes, warts are the result of a virus. More than a hundred types of viruses are responsible for the development of warts, most of which are HPV. Since there are oncogenic types of HPV, some formations can be especially dangerous in terms of cancer, for example, those that develop around the genitals.
No matter what the warts are or where they are located, never pick, rub or scratch them as they can transfer millions of viruses to other areas of the skin where new growths may appear!
Wart viruses are very easy to pick up. For example, infected human epithelial cells are found in swimming pool water. They swim in water and find their prey easily. The wart virus can also be spread through direct physical contact, just by shaking hands. The penetration of viruses into the body is facilitated by small lesions on the skin.
In children, warts under the nails are often caused by finger sucking or chewing, which is painful and difficult to treat. Children can easily pick up viruses while playing. As a result, every fourth child has a viral wart on their hands or feet.
Our immunity depends on how strong our immune system is. A strong immune system suppresses the infection that causes warts.
Mosaic plantar warts
Mosaic warts are a special type of neoplasm. They are plaques, called clusters, formed by the combination of many small plantar warts tightly packed together. The arrangement of the plates resembles a mosaic (hence their name).
This formation is usually observed in a small and localized area. It can reach a diameter of about 6-7 cm. In the early stages of development, mosaic warts look like small black punctures. As they develop, they take on the appearance of white, yellowish or light brown cauliflower, with dark spots in the middle. These spots are formed due to thrombosis of blood vessels.
This type of wart is extremely rare. They usually affect the hands or soles of the feet and are especially common under the toes. Unlike simple plantar warts, mosaic warts are flatter and superficial, causing little or no pain when walking.
Mosaic warts are highly contagious. Due to the large number of foci of viral infection, it is difficult to treat them. The success of treatment is facilitated by its timely initiation. As a rule, mosaic growths tend to recur even after surgical removal.
Benign and malignant neoplasms of the skin: what are the differences?
Benign pathologies do not pose a threat to human life. If they reach large sizes, they can interfere with the adequate functioning of various body systems. In contrast, malignant ones grow quickly and aggressively, invade the surrounding tissues and metastasize over time. Some damage vital organs and cause death.
Sometimes benign skin tumors change due to external or hereditary reasons. They acquire the ability to turn into malignant pathologies. Such conditions are called borderline or precancerous. Although they do not always have obvious symptoms, they pose a great threat to health and life.
Flat (juvenile) warts
Flat warts are a fairly common type of tumor and are the least problematic. They present as small lenticular lesions (several mm in diameter) or smooth papular lesions. They can grow either singly, which is quite rare, or in large numbers close to each other.
There are several stages of the disease:
- mild - one or more painless warts;
- medium - painless growth from 10 to 100;
- severe - more than 100 neoplasms.
If they are localized in places where there is excessive pressure (clothes, shoes, etc. friction), they cause pain.
Flat warts are easily identified and have a white, brown, yellowish or pink color that resembles the color of flesh. They are about the size of a pinhead and are smoother and flatter than other types of warts. In fact, at the point where a flat wart develops, the skin rises slightly (up to a height of about 5 mm), forming a kind of raised circular area.
Growths usually appear on the face, knees, elbows, back, legs, and arms (especially the fingers). People of all ages are victims of this disease. But it mostly affects children and teenagers (20% of schoolchildren have it), so the second name of warts is juvenile.
In a close group of schoolchildren, 80% show resistance (resistance) to the virus. In adults, irritation and inflammation after shaving contribute to the spread of tumors.
The incubation period of infection can last up to 8 months. Often, the disease is only a cosmetic defect. Juvenile warts are painless unless caused by mechanical pressure or injury and may occasionally itch, but are extremely contagious.
The virus is practically not transmitted through shared objects, the main way of infection is skin contact. Flat warts multiply so easily that it is enough to touch a healthy part of the body to cause the birth of a new formation.
The peculiarity of this type of warts is that in most cases no treatment is required: they can disappear suddenly, especially in children. In adults, the disease must be treated, and the virus is very resistant to drug treatment.
Transmission of warts by direct contact
Minor trauma or maceration leads to epithelial barrier dysfunction and subsequent loss of skin integrity, leading to viral infection and wart formation. The incubation period is 3 weeks to 8 months after exposure. In most cases, spontaneous regression is observed.
Laser wart removal
Today, laser surgery is one of the best ways to get rid of warts. It is a painless and safe procedure that can be used in areas of maximum sensitivity. Laser removal of tumors is very effective: the probability of recurrence is minimal. It is significantly affected by the severity of the disease.
Warts are removed by layer-by-layer cauterization of the affected area, thanks to which the doctor controls the depth of the effect. At the same time, the laser beam burns the blood vessels, thereby preventing bleeding at the site of exposure.
Three methods of laser coagulation are common:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. Procedures using this laser are more painful. Although the CO2 laser closes the blood vessels, it also kills the wart tissue. In this process, there is a possibility of damage to healthy tissues. The wound usually takes longer to heal and scarring is possible. The efficiency is about 70%.
- Erbium laser. It is characterized by a shorter wavelength. After healing, the possibility of scarring is significantly reduced.
- Pulsed dye laser. This laser more effectively closes the blood vessels that feed the warts. CO2 does not damage most healthy tissues like lasers. It is also the only type of laser approved for use in children. The effectiveness of this treatment method is about 95%.
| Advantages | Defects |
| Minimal possibility of scar formation (depending on the degree of neglect of the pathology) | High price |
| Fast tissue healing | |
| High efficiency of the method | |
| Minimal damage to healthy tissues | |
| The speed of the procedure |
Removal of warts is performed under local anesthesia. A crust remains at the cauterization site, which disappears within 14 days. After the procedure, if all the doctor's recommendations are followed, the patient quickly returns to a normal lifestyle.
Treatment of filamentous papillomas
In 90% of cases, filamentous warts do not heal on their own (for example, juvenile or vulgar warts in childhood can heal on their own).
They need to be treated. Especially if these formations are injured.
For example, if the papilloma is on the neck, it can be injured by a chain or collar. If on the face - from glasses, under the breast - from a bra. You should know that such permanent damage can cause inflammation of this formation and its pain.
Official methods and methods of treatment
Laser removal of filamentous warts - read a detailed article on laser removal.
The simplest and fastest but cheapest way to treat this type of papillomas. The doctor directs the laser beam to form steaming and burning skin. First, you need to numb the skin with novocaine so that the patient does not feel pain. And wear eye protection.
The whole procedure takes no more than 1 minute per wart. The result is a small crust on the wound. After 3-5 days, this crust comes off and healthy and clean skin is formed in this place.
Radio wave removal - read the article about radio wave surgery.
The principle of operation is as follows: the device for radiowave surgery ("Surgitron") generates a high-frequency radio wave that destroys the wart tissue in the same way as a laser, that is, vaporizes it.
The whole procedure is carried out in the same order as laser treatment - first (required! ) local anesthesia, then exposure for 1-2 minutes (it all depends on the size of the removed formation). The results of radio wave treatment are the same as those of laser.
Removal of filamentous papillomas with liquid nitrogen - read information about liquid nitrogen.
This method is famous for its simplicity. No need to numb the skin with a needle, no need to have a doctor. Any nurse or cosmetic clinic worker can perform the procedure.
Working principle: liquid nitrogen with a temperature of minus 195 degrees freezes the wart tissue. The doctor or nurse, by dosing the effect on the skin over time, does not allow frostbite to form in the adjacent healthy areas of the skin around the pathological formation.
After the procedure, in 90% of cases, papillomas disappear by themselves within 3-4 days.
Electrocoagulation of filamentous warts.
Nowadays, this method is used less often because it is more traumatic. Papillomas are cut with an electric knife. At this time, a burn and wound is formed on the skin, which takes longer to heal later.
Remove it with a radio knife
The most effective modern method of getting rid of warts is removal with radio waves. First of all, this is due to the fact that the instruments in this procedure do not come into contact with the patient's body: they are produced at a radio frequency.
Other advantages of radio wave wart removal should be noted:
- complete painlessness;
- the speed of the procedure;
- exclusion of edema and infiltration;
- absence of postoperative complications;
- absence of scars at the site of wart removal;
- rapid rehabilitation period.
The procedure is also performed under local anesthesia. After exposure, a crust forms on the affected area of the skin and disappears by itself within 7-10 days.
Prevention of skin tumors
Unfortunately, medicine has not yet learned how to prevent the appearance of various formations on the skin. However, dermatologists give their patients the following preventive recommendations:
- if a tumor appears on the skin, do not delay to consult a doctor;
- remove the formations only after a specialist and diagnostics confirm their benign nature;
- avoid excessive exposure to the open sun;
- use sunscreen, especially if you are prone to moles and hyperpigmentation;
- do not come into contact with chemically active and carcinogenic substances;
- do not eat foods that contribute to the development of cancer (smoked meat, sausages, animal fats, meat products with food stabilizers).