Warts
- Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, are known more than 80 types.
- The virus is transmitted between people.
- Warts are more common in children than in adults.
- Most warts disappear with time.
- Cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) gives good results, but it can be messy.
What are warts?
Warts are viral skin tumors contagious. They are usually benign but some may become malignant outstanding. Warts are very common dermatological complaint, affecting 75% of people in their lives.
Warts are contagious and spread by touching. You can get infected by shaving around infected areas. They can occur at any age but are most common in children and young adults whose immune systems are not fully developed.
What are the symptoms?
HPV is the cause of the lesions on the surface of the skin on the palms of the hands and feet and around the nails.
Common warts (verruca vulgaris) - clearly demarcated, rough-surfaced, round or irregular, firm, light gray, yellow tumors, brown or gray-black measuring 2 mm to 10 mm in diameter. They most often appear on sites subject to trauma (eg, fingers, elbows, knees, face and scalp), but can spread elsewhere.
Digitate wart - hot and fingers, pea-shaped base, which appear on the scalp or near the hairline.
Periungual warts - around the nails. They can also occur in clusters. They are rough, irregular and high and may extend under the nails, causing pain.
Filiform warts - long, narrow, small growths usually seen in the eyelids, face, neck or lips.
Flat warts - slightly elevated lesions yellow-brown flat and smooth, which occur more often in children and young adults, most often on the face (also on the neck, chest, knees, hands, wrists or forearms) and long scratches self-infection. They appear in groups of up to several hundred.
Warts in unusual ways - the most common in the head and neck, especially in the scalp and beard.
Genital warts - these can affect both men and women.
Plantar warts - warts, sometimes painful feet.
Predominance
Most warts people, but are more common in children and young adults.
When to see a doctor?
When warts are increasing in number and size, and causes embarrassment, you should seek treatment. Although most warts do not cause serious damage, early treatment can avoid the disfigurement associated with treatment. When the counter remedies do not work, it is also advisable to seek additional help.
Skin cancer is a possibility that you should always consider. When a change in lesion size or color, especially in the elderly, the physician should evaluate. Malignancy is a common wart is extremely rare.
When your child has warts, you should consult a doctor with him or her to provide an accurate history. Knowing what treatments have been tried. Ideally, the person should be seen by the same physician for follow-up, or at least a person of the same practice. Continuity of care can help speed recovery and prevent recurrence.
Diagnosis
The physician obtains a history and do a review. In most cases, there is no need for further testing. In the elderly, the physician can remove the lesion for examination by a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and rule out more serious conditions.
How is it treated?
Treatment duration depends on the immune status, the type and extent of injury, age, and treatment of desire. 66% of warts disappear within two years due to the immune response, and 20% of warts disappear within six months.
Home
First Warts can be treated at home without consulting your doctor. The drugs are non-prescription liquid, gel, and ointment. Most preparations contain salicylic acid, which can soften and dissolve warts. This treatment does not cause scar formation.
The affected area should first be soaked in warm water to soften the skin so that the drug can penetrate. The dead skin can be rubbed gently with a washcloth or pumice. However, not traumatize the wart virus could propagate and cause new warts. It's a good idea to apply a Vaseline gel on the affected area to prevent the agent for healthy skin.
You can also use zinc oxide plaster to cover the affected skin. Then apply the mixture on the affected area and leave it there for as long as possible.
Medication
If this treatment does not work, podophyllin may be prescribed. It works similarly to salicylate-based drugs, but rather a corrosive effect on normal skin. Zinc oxide coating can be used to protect normal skin.
Flat warts can be treated successfully with daily applications of tretinoin (as used in acne). If there is enough peel to remove warts, another irritant such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid cream may be applied sequentially with tretinoin.
Injection of bleomycin in lesions has been attempted, but there may be complications. Then, the doctor may use this medicine with caution. Only experienced specialists should use this method.
Surgery
Cryotherapy is a very effective treatment virtually painless. Liquid nitrogen (which is at a very low temperature) is applied with a cotton swab or a fine nozzle to freeze the wart and kill it. It was later replaced by exfoliation and healthy. Sometimes it may be necessary for stubborn warts frequent applications. In fact, often up to five visits one month apart, are necessary for the doctor. This treatment often leaves scars, but also depends on the size of the wart. Hypopigmentation, the following processing is a significant problem, especially in the darker skin.
Warts can also be treated with the laser. This can be very effective. This treatment is very expensive.
Some lesions can be excised under local anesthesia. This has the advantage of microscopic examination for diagnostic purposes. The main drawback is the cure. Should not be used as a last resort.
Sometimes warts can reappear wound edge where a wart is processed, which requires further processing.
Prevention
Good personal hygiene and care to touch the infected areas are important to prevent warts.
