There are very few people who do not face a problem such as warts on the body. These growths can occur on the body in adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Usually warts are only a cosmetic problem and spoil the appearance of the person. And only in rare cases these formations pose a real threat to health.
What is a wart?
Our skin has a smooth surface. However, in some cases, protruding skin growths may appear on it. They are called warts. Usually these are permanent formations that do not change for many years.
The mechanism of formation of warts is the growth of the upper 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. The skin ridges are usually fleshy in color, but they can also take on other shades such as pink or brown.
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 Seborrheic Keratoma
Most types of warts are viral, sexually transmitted warts are venereal, and seborrheic keratomas are senile warts that are not contagious in nature.
The following skin lesions should be distinguished from warts:
- nevus (moles),
- callus,
- malignant tumors,
- basal cell carcinoma,
- large warts caused by syphilis.
Some of these formations can be life-threatening. Therefore, if a suspicious formation is observed in the body, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Why do warts occur?
Usually, the cause of warts is a viral infection. The process of formation of warts occurs as follows. The human papillomavirus enters skin cells and causes them to divide rapidly. As a result, a growth or papilloma develops on the skin. However, there are types of warts that the virus has nothing to do with.
Obviously, papilloma does not always form on the skin. Often these formations are located on the mucous membranes, inside the bladder, larynx, cervix, etc. However, warts that appear only on the skin are called papillomas.
Warts can be found anywhere on the body. But some species have favorite places. For example, warts often form in the groin and anus; acrochords prefer skin folds on the upper body.
The human papillomavirus does not reproduce outside the body. However, it can stay for a long time in hot and humid places. Therefore, people can often get infected with it when visiting baths, saunas, swimming pools. But the virus does not live long in the open air - it is neutralized by the ultraviolet radiation of the Sun.
According to research, about 80% of the world's population is infected with some type of human papillomavirus. In total there are two hundred strains of these viruses. Some viruses are relatively harmless, others lead to papillomas, and others can even cause malignant tumors. Some strains can be passed from person to person. As a result, some types of warts can be contagious. However, contrary to popular belief, it is impossible to transmit the disease from frogs and toads and other representatives of the fauna. This is explained by the fact that animal papillomaviruses do not reproduce in the human body.
You can become infected with a new type of virus through personal contact, handshaking, sharing household items (eg towels), visiting public places (swimming pools, baths, saunas, transport), minor wounds and sexually.
Penetrating into the body, the papilloma virus does not always cause the appearance of the disease. Often the factors associated with the disease are stress, reduced immunity (for example, due to infectious diseases). At the same time, the virus can remain in the body for several years and wait in the wings.
Types of warts
Doctors distinguish several types of warts:
- ordinary (vulgar),
- young (straight),
- pointed (condylomas),
- senile,
- like thread.
Birthmarks (nevi) should be distinguished from such warts. Although there are exceptions, usually birthmarks do not protrude from the surface of the skin and are dark in color.
rough warts
This type of warts is seen in 70% of cases. It is caused by the papilloma virus. Outwardly, coarse (ordinary) papillomas look like small semicircular formations on the surface of the skin. They are usually completely painless. The size of the formations is from several mm to 1 cm. Their surface is often uneven, bumpy and often resembles the surface of a cauliflower. Color - tan, grayish, yellowish brown. Frequent localizations - hands, face, fingers, lips, knees, elbows. Mucous membranes are rarely affected.
Most often, ordinary papillomas can go away on their own. The peculiarity of this type of papillomas is that they usually do not grow alone, but in groups. Often you can find a large papilloma around which small ones grow. If you remove the largest (maternal) papilloma, the smaller ones usually disappear.
Diffuse papillomas can occur at any age. They are usually seen in school-aged children.
young warts
This type of papillomas usually occurs in children and adolescents. But they can also appear in people of mature age. These papillomas are also often called flat papillomas. They make up only 4% of all warts.
They are usually available. They can also appear on the feet and face, near the nails, between the toes, on the legs and neck. They are often associated with hormonal changes in the body. Like ordinary papillomas, they do not pose a significant danger and can go away on their own. They usually do not cause physical discomfort, but they can worsen the appearance.
Flat papillomas are usually flesh-colored and protrude only slightly (about 1-2 mm) above the skin surface. They can reach 5 mm in diameter, but are usually smaller than rough ones. Flattened papillomas can form near wounds and cuts. Generally, juvenile papillomas have a smooth surface and well-defined, albeit irregular, borders. They may appear shiny due to the absence of the stratum corneum on the surface.
plantar warts
This is an extremely unpleasant type of skin growth that occurs on the feet. Sometimes they are confused with corn. However, plantar papillomas have one feature that distinguishes them from corns. If a plantar wart is damaged, it will usually bleed. For Egyptians, this phenomenon is not typical. Although outwardly, papillomas on the legs can look like calluses - they are often hard and keratinized. Their color is usually dirty gray, dark or dirty yellow with a brown tint. Black spots may appear on their surface.
Most often, a plantar wart is found on the leg. But they can also meet in groups and grow up together. Plantar papillomas grow not only outside the skin, but also deeper.
Externally, this type of warts may look like ordinary warts. They are usually semicircular. However, if a person constantly develops such a skin formation, it can take a flattened form.
The appearance of papillomas on the soles has little to do with age, they can appear both in young and old. These formations can also be observed in children.
Plantar papillomas can cause discomfort and even severe pain when walking. When you step on such a ledge, it seems as if you are stepping on a small pebble. Outwardly, warts can sometimes resemble thorns. Therefore, people call this type of papilloma spines.
In a calm state, these formations can cause itching. Like other types of papillomas, plantar warts develop under the influence of the papilloma virus. The virus is usually transmitted from the environment to the skin of the feet. For example, it is not uncommon to catch this virus by visiting a pool without rubber shoes. Uncomfortable shoes also contribute to the formation of skin lesions, as they often occur where shoes rub the feet. Heavy sweating and poor foot hygiene are also contributing factors.
It is not recommended to touch the papillomas on the sole with your hands, because in this way you can transfer the virus to other areas of the skin.
Plantar wart treatment
Sometimes these types of papillomas can disappear 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 training makes itself felt by painful sensations. If a protrusion on the foot causes sharp pain, does not allow walking, it must be removed. Also, more than 1 cm of education should be removed. Removal can only be done in the doctor's office.
If there is any suspicion that the formation on the leg belongs to any papilloma, the doctor can perform a number of diagnostic procedures. These include scraping and analysis of the stratum corneum, PCR analysis for the presence of the papillomavirus genome. An ultrasound scan is performed to determine the shape and size of the formation. Warts on the leg require differential diagnosis from syphilis warts. However, often comprehensive diagnostic measures are not taken, since the diagnosis of papilloma on the leg is not difficult.
Sometimes medication can be tried to remove a growth on the foot. For the removal of warts, preparations containing salicylic acid, necrotizing agents, freezing aerosols and special plasters are suitable. However, drug removal is not usually a quick process. You can quickly remove warts on the sole with the help of tools available only in medical institutions. These can be methods:
- laser,
- surgical,
- electrocoagulation,
- cryo destruction,
- Radio wave.
Each type of procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, the surgical method is mainly used for large skin growths, as it severely injures the skin.
genital warts
This is a special type of wart. They are usually found in the genital area. Their shape is also unusual as they look like papillae (hence their name). However, warts can also have an irregular shape, resembling cauliflower or cockscomb. The viruses that cause this type of wart are usually sexually transmitted. Also, condylomas can appear on the mucous membranes of the anus. Therefore, such warts are often called anogenital or venereal. Less commonly, women under the mammary glands have condylomas in the armpits. Warts range in color from flesh to pink. Sometimes several genital warts can grow together. Also, the condyles of this species can grow to large sizes. Warts can cause painful sensations during sexual intercourse, defecation. If injured, they may bleed. Women with genital warts can also develop cervical cancer.
filiform warts
This type of wart is extremely common. Filiform warts or acrochors often grow in large groups. For thin-skinned areas, opt for chords. This is the area of the armpits, neck, shoulders, eyelids, wings of the nose. In women, it can occur in the groin area, under the mammary glands. Usually they do not bother and hurt a person, but they can itch.
Externally, filamentous warts resemble long threads. However, acrochords are often found, often having a thin filamentous body to which a thick spherical or hemispherical body is attached. They are also filiform. Such warts are called drooping.
Most warts of this type range from 1 mm to 5 mm. There are also chords larger than 1 cm. Sometimes several filamentous warts grow together.
Acrochords are rare in children. It is typical for people over 35. And as the years go by, their numbers usually increase. This type of warts is seen in 100% of people over the age of 70. The tendency to have many acrochords in the body can also be inherited. Acrochords are often associated with being overweight. In women, they can occur during pregnancy.
Filamentous warts have an unpleasant feature. If a filamentous wart breaks off, it will soon be replaced by a new one. Acrochords rarely go through on their own. Their appearance is supported by increased sweating, reduced immunity.
old age 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 causes of 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, so they are often called basal cell papillomas. Although this is not exactly the correct name, only viruses cause true papillomas. Heredity plays an important role in the occurrence of these neoplasms. Senile keratomas can often resemble melanoma. Therefore, if they occur, you need to consult a doctor so that he can make a diagnosis. However, senile keratomas usually do not require treatment and do not transform into malignant tumors.
Outwardly, keratomas look like pink or yellowish papules 1-2 mm thick. Their size varies from 2 mm to 3 cm. Sometimes this type of warts reaches 4-6 cm in size. Keratomas have an oily, easily removable shell. Their surfaces are irregular, like corrugations. As they grow, keratomas often become like a mushroom cap and their color changes to black or dark brown. Their surface hardens, they can crack.
Most often, keratomas are located on the neck and chest. It can be observed in groups. They are less common on the hands and face. They are not found in the mucous membrane. Usually there are no more than 20 keratomas in the body. If a person has a large number of senile warts, this is usually due to hereditary factors.
Senile keratomas do not go away on their own. People with excessive amounts of seborrheic keratomas on their 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 do not pose a serious threat. However, after injury, they can hurt, bleed. After that, there is a risk of developing a malignant tumor. Even in papillomas and keratomas, the risk of malignant transformation is much lower than moles.
Papillomas are usually treated by removal (with the aid of surgery, cold, high-frequency electric current, or laser). Therapeutic treatments are often less effective.
The indication for removal is pain, size, bleeding, deformation of the skin formation, location in an uncomfortable place (eg, on the tips of the toes, soles, genital area), aesthetic considerations. . Warts are also subject to removal.