Warts are small growths on the skin of the body or face.Their formation is associated with the activity of the human papillomavirus (HPV).There are about a hundred strains of this virus, each of which causes the formation of different types of warts.
What is a wart?
Even on the most well-groomed and healthy skin, warts can appear: small round nodules that are benign tumors.
A wart is a benign growth on the skin of the body associated with the activity of the HPV virus.About 70% of the world's population is infected with this virus.Due to its action, a pathological process of epidermal cell division begins, which causes the appearance of a small skin growth, or wart.
There are different types of warts, caused by different strains of the virus.Not all warts are viral in nature;senile growths that appear due to changes in metabolic processes in the body are identified separately.
To eliminate growth, it is necessary to understand the reasons for its occurrence.The following reminder about the types of warts on the body, their characteristics and methods of combating them will help with this.
Vulgar warts
Simple or vulgar warts are small, round growths that do not differ in color from your skin tone.They arise due to the action of the human papillomavirus.The preferred localization areas are the areas with the greatest sweating.Vulgar warts are most often located on the hands, feet, back and hips.
It takes about several months from the time of virus infection until such growths appear.If a person's immunity is strong, the body itself will defeat the virus and warts will not appear on the skin.The activation of the pathological process and the formation of unsightly growths occurs against the background of a decrease in general and local immunity.Due to the peculiarities of the location of vulgar warts, this process is often caused by a decrease in local immunity, for example, when the skin is damaged or by excessive sweating of the feet and palms.
Vulgar warts are considered harmless growths.They almost never degenerate into a malignant neoplasm.
Vulgar warts can appear in anyone.They are encountered equally frequently by children, adolescents and adults.You can remove them in several ways:
- cryodestruction;
- laser;
- surgical method;
- preparations containing alkali;
- folk remedies.
It is recommended to remove large vulgar warts in a dermatologist's office, as self-treatment can lead to the formation of scars.
Vulgar warts are the most common type.
Flat warts
It is quite easy to recognize the types of warts yourself from a photo.One of the rare types is flat warts.They represent no more than 4% of cases of skin growths.
Characteristics of flat warts:
- diameter not exceeding 5 mm;
- slight elevation above the skin;
- irregular shape;
- clear boundaries;
- smooth surface;
- light pigmentation.
These warts differ slightly in color from healthy skin: they are slightly pinker or browner, making them easy to visualize.The second name for flat warts is juvenile.They appear most often in children and adolescents.Classic positions are the skin of the legs, hands, face.
Juvenile warts are viral in nature and are caused by HPV.They are not subject to degeneration into malignant neoplasms, so they are relatively safe.
These growths do not represent a health hazard and do not cause any inconvenience other than aesthetic ones.If there are many of them or they are located on open areas of the body, removing the growth will not be difficult.To avoid scar formation, it is recommended to use cryodestruction, electrocoagulation or laser removal.
Warts
For women's health, warts and papillomas pose a much more serious threat than for men.
Warts are small growths with a papillary structure that affect the external genitalia in women and men.These growths are viral in nature;the strain of HPV that causes the appearance of these warts is sexually transmitted.
Characteristics of warts:
- small size and presence of a thin leg;
- the color does not differ from the shade of the skin or mucous membranes;
- can merge into large neoplasms;
- they get hurt easily.
Warts are types of warts that are easily recognized from photographs.In most cases they are located on the external genitalia in women, around the glans and on the shaft of the penis in men.Warts affect the perineum, the area around the anus and in rare cases are found in the mouth.
Some strains of the HPV virus can cause warts to develop on the cervix in women.This type of growth is very dangerous and causes cervical cancer.Ordinary warts located on the labia minora or penis, as a rule, are not classified as oncogenic.
Liquid nitrogen is often used to remove them.This remedy allows you to eliminate the growth without leaving scars.Removal of warts on the lips can be done using a radio knife.
At home, tumors on the mucous membranes cannot be removed, since the epithelium of the genital organs can be damaged.
Papillomas
Papillomas are a type of skin wart;there are different types on the skin.In fact, a vulgar wart is one of the types of papillomas.These growths can appear on any part of the body, including the mucous membranes.They are a soft ball of uniform structure, which rises above the peel thanks to a small stem.Papillomas are caused by the HPV virus;depending on the strain they can affect both the epidermis and the mucous membranes.The most dangerous places where growths are located:
- urethra;
- larynx;
- anus;
- armpits;
- inguinal folds;
- soles of the feet.
Papillomas in the urethra cause physical discomfort, as the body perceives them as a potentially dangerous object.They can grow and lead to urethral stricture in men, so they need to be removed.
Growths in the larynx can cause persistent throat irritation and voice changes.Papillomas in the anus are easily injured and can become inflamed.The growths located in the folds of the skin rub off heavily when walking.This can cause irritation and infection.
Papillomas are potentially dangerous skin tumors.Only a doctor can accurately determine the risk of oncogenicity.
Injury and damage to such growths can lead to the development of a malignant process, so papillomas located in inconvenient places, which can be accidentally touched by nails or rubbed with clothing, must be removed.
Papillomas can appear in people of any age and gender.To remove them, methods used in the treatment of vulgar warts are used.
Keratomas
Common locations of senile keratoma are the back of the hands, face, and neck area;less commonly, they may be located on the torso.
Keratoma is a growth of the stratum corneum of the skin.It is a brown spot that rises above the skin.The structure of the spot is quite dense, due to keratinization (keratinization) of the upper layer of the epidermis.
The main reasons for the development of keratomas are the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the skin and age-related changes in the epidermis.Such neoplasms are not a consequence of HPV and belong to age-related dermatological disorders.Keratomas appear only in people over the age of 50.
They are considered safe neoplasms, the degree of oncogenicity is very low.Such growths can be located on any open area of the body.
The neoplasm itself is a clear cosmetic defect, so it can be removed.Keratomas must be removed using professional methods: cryodestruction, laser removal, electrocoagulation.Particularly large tumors are removed by surgical excision.
Filiform papillomas
There are different types of warty growths on the body;filamentous papillomas are one of the most common types of warts.They appear in people over the age of 40.Most often, women encounter such neoplasms, since their skin is thinner than that of men.Location of filamentous papillomas:
- neck;
- armpits;
- face;
- eyelids;
- area under the mammary glands;
- inguinal folds.
This type of growth is a small oblong papilla that rises above the skin.The dimensions of the papillae are very small: no more than 1 mm in diameter and several mm in length.
Thread-like growths do not pose a health risk, as they almost never degenerate into malignant neoplasms.The only exceptions are cases of severe growth damage and secondary infections.
It is impossible to remove filamentous papillomas using folk or pharmaceutical remedies.Due to their small size, aggressive exposure to alkali and acidic agents can lead to the formation of a deep wound, in place of which a large scar will remain.To remove these small growths it is better to give preference to laser, electrocoagulation or liquid nitrogen.
Threaded papillomas often affect the neck and armpits.
Plantar warts
Another manifestation of the HPV virus are plantar or spinous warts.These growths are a flat plaque, similar in appearance to a callus, that appears on the foot.The peculiarity of such a wart is that it goes deep under the skin, while the upper part of the growth is flat and practically does not stand out against the background of healthy epidermis.
Plantar warts grow deep into the skin and hurt when pressed.Both children and adults can meet them.The spine must be removed using a laser, cryodestruction, or surgical method.Home remedies are effective only for removing small thorns, the size of which does not exceed 2-3 mm in diameter.
The thorns cause serious discomfort, but are safe as they do not degenerate into cancer.
A plantar wart is not dangerous, but it causes discomfort when walking.
Diagnosis – which doctor should I contact?
To diagnose and remove warts on the skin of the body and face, you should consult a dermatologist.To make a diagnosis, a visual examination is performed.Examination with a dermatoscope will help accurately determine the type of growth.
If growths appear on the genitals, you need to contact a gynecologist (for women), a urologist (for men) or a venereologist.To determine the strain of the virus, a PCR analysis of the urogenital smear is necessary.Based on the results of the examination, the doctor decides on acceptable methods for removing the tumor.