There are very few people who would not be faced with such a problem as warts on the body. These outgrowths can occur on the body in adolescents, adults and the elderly. Usually, warts are only 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, 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 occurrence 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 color of the skin outgrowths is usually flesh, but they can 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 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 non-infectious in nature.
The following skin lesions should be distinguished from warts:
- nevi (moles),
- calluses,
- malignant tumors,
- basal cell carcinoma,
- wide warts resulting from syphilis.
Some of these formations can be life-threatening. Therefore, if any suspicious formation on the body appears, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Why do warts occur?
Usually, a viral infection is the cause of warts. The process of occurrence of warts occurs as follows. The human papillomavirus enters skin cells and causes them to rapidly divide. 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.
Strictly speaking, papilloma does not always occur on the skin. Often these formations are found on the mucous membranes, inside the bladder, in the larynx, on the cervix, etc. However, it is customary to call warts only papillomas that appear on the skin.
Warts can be located on any part of the body. However, some species have their favorite places. For example, warts usually form in the groin and anus; acrochords prefer folds of skin in the upper body.
The human papillomavirus does not multiply outside the body. However, it can persist for a long time in warm and humid places. That is why people can often become 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 studies, approximately 80% of the world's 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 lead to 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 the 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 (for example, towels), when visiting public places (swimming pools, baths, saunas, transport), through small wounds and sexually.
The papilloma virus that has penetrated the body does not always cause the appearance of the disease. Usually, factors accompanying the disease are stress, decreased 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.
Varieties of warts
Doctors distinguish several types of warts:
- ordinary (vulgar),
- youthful (flat),
- pointed (condylomas),
- senile,
- threadlike.
Birthmarks (nevi) should be separated from these types of warts. Usually, birthmarks do not protrude from the surface of the skin and are dark in color, although there are exceptions.
Vulgar warts
This type of warts occurs in 70% of cases. It is caused by the papilloma virus. Outwardly, vulgar (ordinary) papillomas look like small semicircular formations on the surface of the skin. They are usually completely painless. The dimensions of the formations are from a few mm to 1 cm. Their surface is usually uneven, bumpy, often resembling the surface of a cauliflower. Color - flesh-colored, grayish, yellowish-brown. Frequent localizations - hands, face, fingers, lips, knees, elbows. Mucous membranes are rarely affected.
Often, ordinary papillomas can go away by themselves. The peculiarity of this type of papillomas is that they often grow not singly, but in groups. You can often find a large papilloma, around which small ones grow. If you remove the largest (maternal) papilloma, then usually the small ones disappear.
Common papillomas can occur at any age. They often occur in school-age children.
Teenage warts
This type of papillomas usually occurs in children and adolescents. But in people of mature age, they can also appear. These papillomas are also often referred to as flat papillomas. They account for only 4% of all warts.
They can often be found on hand. They can also be observed on the feet and face, near the nails, between the toes, on the legs, and on the 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 above the skin surface (by about 1–2 mm). They can reach a diameter of 5 mm, but they are usually smaller than the vulgar ones. Flattened papillomas can occur near wounds and cuts. Usually juvenile papillomas have a smooth surface and uneven, albeit well-defined, borders. Due to the lack of a stratum corneum on the surface, they can appear 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 trait that distinguishes them from corns. If a plantar wart is damaged, it will usually bleed. For corns, this phenomenon is uncharacteristic. Although outwardly, papillomas on the legs may look like calluses - they are usually hard and keratinized. Their color is usually dirty gray, dark or dirty yellow with a brown tint. Black dots may appear on their surface.
Most often, one 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.
Outwardly, warts of this type may look like ordinary ones. They usually have a semicircular shape. However, if a person constantly develops such a skin formation, then it can take on a flattened form.
The appearance of papillomas on the soles has little to do with age; they can appear in both young people and the elderly. These formations can also be observed in children.
Plantar papillomas can cause discomfort and even severe pain when walking. When you step on such an outgrowth, it seems as if you are stepping on a small pebble. Outwardly, warts can sometimes resemble thorns. Therefore, the people call this type of papillomas 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 often gets on the skin of the feet from the environment. For example, it is not uncommon to catch this virus by visiting a pool without rubber shoes. Uncomfortable shoes also contribute to the occurrence of skin lesions, as they often occur in places where shoes rub the feet. Heavy sweating and inadequate foot hygiene are also contributing factors.
It is not recommended to touch the papillomas on the sole with your hands, as this way you can transfer the virus to other areas of the skin.
Plantar warts treatment
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 this moment, and not everyone can afford it, especially if education makes itself felt by painful sensations. If an outgrowth on the foot causes a sharp pain, does not allow walking, then it must be removed. Also, education more than 1 cm must be removed. The removal operation can be carried out only in the doctor's office.
If there is any doubt that the formation on the leg belongs to any type of papillomas, the doctor can carry out a number of diagnostic procedures. These include scraping and analysis of the stratum corneum, 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 from syphilis warts. However, usually, extensive diagnostic measures are not carried out, since it is not difficult to diagnose papilloma on the leg.
Sometimes medication can be tried to remove a growth on 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 usually not a quick procedure. You can quickly remove a wart on the sole only 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 own advantages and disadvantages. The surgical method, for example, is used mainly for large skin outgrowths, 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, since 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 warts are usually sexually transmitted. Also, condylomas can be observed on the mucous membranes, in the anus. Therefore, such warts are often called anogenital or venereal. Less commonly, condylomas are found in the armpits, in women under the mammary glands. Warts are flesh to pink in color. Sometimes several 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 may bleed. Women with genital warts can also develop cervical cancer.
Filiform warts
This type of wart is extremely common. Filiform warts, or acrochords, often grow in large groups. Prefer acrochords for areas with thin skin. This is the area of the armpits, neck, shoulders, eyelids, wings of the nose. Can occur in the groin area, under the mammary glands in women. They usually do not bother a person and do not hurt, but they can itch.
Externally, filamentous warts resemble long threads. However, acrochords are often found that have a thin filiform stem, to which a thick body is attached, usually spherical or hemispherical. They are also filiform. Such warts are called pendulous.
Most warts of this type range in size from 1 mm to 5 mm. There are also acrochords larger than 1 cm. Sometimes several filamentous warts grow together.
Acrochords are rare in children. They are typical for people over 35 years old. And over the years, their number usually increases. Among people over 70 years old, this type of warts is observed in 100%. The tendency to have a large number of acrochords on the body can also be inherited. Acrochords are often associated with being overweight. In women, they can occur during pregnancy.
Filamentous warts have one unpleasant feature. If a filamentous wart is torn off, a new one will soon grow in its place. Acrochords rarely pass on their own. Their appearance is promoted by increased sweating, 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 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, which is why they are often called basal cell papillomas. Although this is not an entirely correct name, real papillomas are caused only by viruses. Heredity plays a significant role in the emergence of these neoplasms. Senile keratomas can often resemble melanoma. Therefore, if they occur, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he could diagnose. However, senile keratomas usually do not require treatment and do not turn into malignant tumors.
Outwardly, keratomas look like pink or yellowish papules with a thickness of 1-2 mm. Their size ranges from 2 mm to 3 cm. Occasionally, warts of this type reach a size of 4-6 cm. Keratomas have a fatty, easily removable crust. Their surface is uneven, as if corrugated. Growing up, keratomas often become like a mushroom cap, and their color changes to black or dark brown. Their surface becomes hard, they can crack.
Most often, keratomas are located on the neck and chest. Can be observed in groups. They appear less frequently on the hands and face. They do not exist on the mucous membranes. Usually, there are no more than 20 keratomas on the body. If a person has a lot of senile warts, then this is often due to hereditary factors.
Senile keratomas do not go away on their own. People with excessive amounts of seborrheic keratomas on the 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 malignant tumors. Although in papillomas and keratomas, the risk of malignant transformation is much lower than in moles.
Papillomas are usually treated by removal (surgical, with the help of cold, high frequency electric current or laser). Therapeutic treatments are usually less effective.
The indication for removal is the soreness of the skin formation, its large size, bleeding, change in shape, location in an uncomfortable place (for example, on the tip of the toe, on the soles, in the genital area), aesthetic considerations. Warts are also subject to removal.