There are very few people who would not face problems like warts on the body. These outgrowths can occur on the body in adolescents, adults and the elderly. Usually, warts are just a cosmetic problem, impairing a person's appearance. And only in rare cases do these formations pose a real threat to health.
What is a wart?
Our skin has a smooth surface. However, in some cases, lumps may appear on the skin. They are called warts. Typically, these are permanent formations that don't change for many years.
The mechanism of occurrence of warts is the growth of the upper layer of the skin. Formation sizes range from 1 mm to several centimeters. This parameter depends on the type of formation and its location on the skin. The fusion of multiple warts is often observed. The color of the skin bumps is usually fleshy but may take on other shades, for example pink or brown.
Medicine classifies warts as benign neoplasms. They do not grow and do not penetrate the surrounding tissue.
In the international classification of diseases, the following codes are assigned to warts:
- B07 - viral wart,
- A63. 0 - venereal wart,
- Seborrheic keratoma L82
Most types of warts are viral, sexually transmitted warts are venereal, and seborrheic keratomas are senile warts of a non-infectious nature.
The following skin lesions must be distinguished from warts:
- nevi (soft),
- calluses,
- malignant tumors,
- Basal cell carcinoma,
- large warts resulting from syphilis.
Some of these formations can be fatal. Therefore, if any suspicious formations appear in the body, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Why do warts occur?
Usually, a viral infection is the cause of the warts. The process of occurrence of warts takes place as follows. Human papillomavirus enters skin cells and causes them to divide rapidly. As a result, a tumor or papilloma develops on the skin. However, there are types of warts that the virus has nothing to do with.
Strictly speaking, papilloma does not always occur on the skin. These formations are often found in the mucous membranes, inside the bladder, in the larynx, in the cervix, etc. However, it is customary to call warts only papillomas that appear on the skin.
Warts can be located anywhere on the body. However, some species have their favorite places. For example, warts usually form in the groin and anus; the acrocordia prefer folds of skin on the upper part of the body.
The human papillomavirus does not multiply outside the body. However, it can persist for a long time in hot, humid places. That's why people can often get infected when they visit baths, saunas, swimming pools. But the virus doesn't live long outdoors - it's neutralized by the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
According to studies, approximately 80% of the world population is infected with some type of human papillomavirus. There are two hundred strains of these viruses in total. Some viruses are relatively harmless, others cause papillomas, and others can even cause malignant tumors. Some strains can be passed from person to person. Consequently, certain types of warts can be contagious. But transmission of the disease from frogs and toads, as well as from other representatives of the fauna, contrary to popular belief, is impossible. This is explained by the fact that animal papillomaviruses do not multiply in the human body.
You can become infected with a new type of virus through personal contact, shaking hands, sharing household items (eg towels), visiting public places (swimming pools, baths, saunas, transport), through minor wounds and sexually .
The papilloma virus that entered the body did not always cause the disease to appear. Typically, factors associated with illness are stress, decreased immunity (eg due to infectious diseases). At the same time, the virus can remain in the body for several years and wait in the wings.
Varieties of Warts
Doctors distinguish several types of warts:
- common (common),
- young (flat),
- pointed (condylomas),
- senile,
- threadlike.
Birthmarks (nevi) should be separated from these types of warts. Normally, birthmarks do not protrude from the surface of the skin and are dark, although there are exceptions.
common warts
This type of wart occurs in 70% of cases. It is caused by the papilloma virus. Externally, papillomas vulgaris (common) look like small semicircular formations on the surface of the skin. They are usually completely painless. The size of formations is from several mm to 1 cm. Its surface is usually irregular, bumpy, often similar to the surface of a cauliflower. Color - flesh-colored, greyish, yellowish-brown. Frequent locations - hands, face, fingers, lips, knees, elbows. Mucous membranes are rarely affected.
Common papillomas can often disappear by themselves. The peculiarity of this type of papilloma is that it often does not grow in isolation, but in groups. You can often find a large papilloma, around which small ones grow. If you remove the larger (maternal) papilloma, the small ones usually disappear.
Common papillomas can occur at any age. They usually occur in school-age children.
teenage warts
This type of papilloma usually occurs in children and teenagers. But in people of mature age, they can also appear. These papillomas are also often called flat papillomas. They represent only 4% of all warts.
They can often be found by hand. They can also be seen on the feet and face, near the nails, between the toes, legs and neck. They are often associated with hormonal changes in the body. Like common papillomas, they pose no significant danger and may disappear on their own. They usually don't cause physical discomfort, but they can make the appearance worse.
Flat papillomas are usually skin-colored and protrude only slightly above the surface of the skin (about 1–2 mm). They can reach a diameter of 5 mm, but are generally smaller than ordinary ones. Flat papillomas can occur near wounds and cuts. Juvenile papillomas usually have a smooth surface and irregular, although well-defined, edges. Due to the lack of stratum corneum on the surface, they can look shiny.
plantar warts
This is an extremely unpleasant type of skin growth that occurs on the feet. Sometimes they are mistaken for corns. However, plantar papillomas have a feature that distinguishes them from calluses. If a plantar wart is damaged, it will usually bleed. For corns, this phenomenon is not typical. Although externally, leg papillomas may look like calluses - they are usually hard and keratinized. Its color is usually dirty gray, dark yellow or dirty with a brown tint. Black dots may appear on its surface.
Most often, a plantar wart is found on the leg. But they can also meet in groups as well as grow together. Plantar papillomas grow not only outside the skin, but also deeper.
Externally, warts of this type may appear common. They usually have a semicircular shape. However, if a person constantly develops this skin formation, it can take on a flattened shape.
The appearance of papillomas on the sole of the foot has little to do with age and can appear in both young and old. These formations can also be seen in children.
Plantar papillomas can cause discomfort and even severe pain when walking. When you step on such growth, it feels like you are stepping on a small rock. Externally, warts can sometimes resemble spines. Therefore, people call these type of spines papillomas.
In a calm state, these formations can be itchy. Like other types of papillomas, plantar warts develop under the influence of the papilloma virus. The virus usually reaches the skin of the feet due to the environment. For example, it is not uncommon to catch this virus by visiting a swimming pool without rubber shoes. Uncomfortable shoes also contribute to the occurrence of skin lesions, as they usually occur in places where the shoes rub against the feet. Excessive sweating and poor foot hygiene are also contributing factors.
It is not recommended to touch the papillomas on the soles of the foot with your hands, as this can transfer the virus to other areas of the skin.
Treatment of plantar warts
Sometimes papillomas of this type can go away on their own. This happens in about half of the cases. But sometimes it takes a long time to wait for that moment, and not everyone can afford it, especially if education is felt by painful sensations. If a lump in the foot causes a sharp pain and does not allow walking, then it must be removed. In addition, the shim of more than 1 cm must be removed. The removal operation can only be performed in a doctor's office.
If there is any doubt that the formation in the leg belongs to some type of papilloma, the doctor can perform several diagnostic procedures. These include stratum corneum scraping and analysis, PCR analysis for the presence of the papilloma virus genome. To determine the shape and size of the formation, an ultrasound scan is performed. Warts on the leg require differential diagnosis with warts in syphilis. However, in general, extensive diagnostic measures are not performed, as it is not difficult to diagnose papilloma in the leg.
Sometimes medication can be tried to remove a tumor in the foot. For the removal of warts, preparations with salicylic acid, necrotizing agents, freezing aerosols and special plasters are suitable. However, removal with medication is generally not a quick procedure. You can quickly remove a wart on the sole with the help of tools available in medical institutions. These can be methods:
- laser,
- surgical,
- electrocoagulation,
- cryodestruction,
- radio wave.
Any type of procedure has its advantages and disadvantages. The surgical method, for example, is mainly used for large skin bumps as it seriously 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 a cauliflower or cockscomb. The viruses that cause these warts are usually sexually transmitted. Also, condylomas can be seen on the mucous membranes, in the anus. Therefore, these warts are often called anogenital or venereal warts. Less commonly, condylomas are found in the armpits, in women under the mammary glands. The warts are flesh-colored to pink. Sometimes multiple genital warts can grow together. Also, condylomas of this species can grow to large sizes. Warts can cause painful sensations during intercourse, defecation. If injured, they can bleed. Women with genital warts can also develop cervical cancer.
filiform warts
This type of wart is extremely common. Threadlike warts, or acrocordia, usually grow in large groups. Prefer skin tags for areas with thin skin. This is the area of the armpits, neck, shoulders, eyelids, wings of the nose. It can occur in the groin area, under the mammary glands in women. They are usually not bothersome and not painful, but they can itch.
Externally, filamentous warts resemble long hairs. However, skin tags are often found with a thin filiform stem, to which a thick, usually spherical or hemispherical body is attached. They are also threadlike. These warts are called pendant.
Most warts of this type range in size from 1 mm to 5 mm. There are also squiggles longer than 1 cm. Sometimes several filamentous warts grow together.
Crocords are rare in children. They are typical for people over 35 years old. And over the years, their numbers usually increase. Among people over 70, this type of wart is seen in 100%. The tendency to have a large number of skin tags on the body can also be inherited. Crocords are often associated with being overweight. In women, it can occur during pregnancy.
Filamentous warts have an unpleasant feature. If a filamentous wart is pulled out, a new one will soon grow in its place. The acrochords rarely pass on their own. Its appearance is promoted by increased sweating and reduced immunity.
senile warts
This type of wart has another name - seborrheic keratoma. It usually occurs in people over 60 years of age. Unlike other types of warts, senile keratomas are not caused by the human papillomavirus. The exact reasons for its occurrence have not been established. Keratomas are likely associated with age-related changes in the body. They develop from the basal layer of the epidermis, which is why they are often called basal cell papillomas. Although this is not the correct name, because real papillomas are only caused by viruses. Heredity plays a significant role in the emergence of these neoplasms. Senile keratomas can often resemble melanoma. Therefore, if they do occur, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he can diagnose them. However, senile keratomas usually do not require treatment and do not develop into malignant tumors.
Externally, keratomas look like pink or yellowish papules 1-2 mm thick. Its size ranges from 2 mm to 3 cm. Occasionally, warts of this type reach a size of 4 to 6 cm. Keratomas have a greasy, easily removable crust. Its surface is uneven, as if it were undulating. When they grow, keratomas often become like a mushroom cap, and their color changes to black or dark brown. Their surface becomes hard, they can crack.
Most of the time, keratomas are located in the neck and chest. Can be observed in groups. They appear less often on the hands and face. They don't exist in the mucous membranes. Typically, there are no more than 20 keratomas in the body. If a person has a lot 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 in the body are advised to increase the amount of vitamin C in their diet to prevent new growth. You should also avoid exposure to direct sunlight, overheating, hypothermia, stress.
Treatment
Most papillomas pose no serious threat. However, after an injury, they can hurt, bleed. After that, there is a risk of developing malignant tumors. Although in papillomas and keratomas, the risk of malignant transformation is much lower than in blemishes.
Papillomas are usually treated by removal (surgical, with the aid of cold, high-frequency electrical current, or laser). Therapeutic treatments are generally less effective.
The indication for removal is painful skin formation, its large size, bleeding, shape change, location in an uncomfortable place (eg, on the tip of the toe, on the sole of the foot, in the genital region), aesthetic considerations . Warts are also subject to removal.