Why warts grow is a question that a dermatovenerologist can often hear from a patient.
These neoplasms are often the cause of not only aesthetic but also physical concerns.
So it is not surprising that patients are interested in how to get rid of them.
What are these growths and why warts grow on the hands and other parts of the body, patients are often interested.
What provocative factors affect their appearance and what are the ways to get rid of the pathology?
Warts: what are they?
If a person discovers that his wart has started to grow, he inadvertently wonders what it is and where the growths come from.
Warts are benign skin lesions.
A person owes his appearance to human papillomavirus infection.
The virus is considered very widespread; about 90% of the entire population of the planet suffers from it.
The peculiarity of the infection is that its symptoms may be absent for a long time.
Until the body is exposed to any negative effects.
Today it is very easy to get infected with HPV, as doctors say.
There are several ways.
- Sexual contact. Sex without a condom easily leads to the transmission of the infection from a sick person or carrier to a healthy person. Moreover, even a condom is not always able to protect a person from this viral pathology. Although significantly reduces the likelihood of infection. It is important to remember that not only classic sex is dangerous, but also oral and anal sex.
- Vertical road. Another fairly common method of infection. In this case, the virus enters the body of the child from the body of the sick mother. The moment he passes through her birth canal. In exceptional cases, transplacental infection is also possible. But this requires the fulfillment of special conditions.
- House-contact mode. Human papillomavirus can remain on ordinary sponges, towels and linen. Of course, if a healthy person comes in contact with an infected person's personal hygiene items, infection is possible.
It is important to remember that warts are just one of the manifestations of HPV.
The virus can also be detected by the development of papillomas, genital warts and other types of neoplasms.
Moreover, some subspecies (strains) of the virus are highly oncogenic.
This can lead to the development of malignant neoplasms if treatment is not undertaken in a timely manner.
Types of warts
No matter how fast the wart grows, doctors distinguish several types of this unpleasant skin formation.
Depending on the type of wart, its localization can be judged, as well as the supposed features of removal.
Allocate:
- common growths, the formation of which occurs most often on the face and hands, and especially often children suffer from them, in most cases many growths appear immediately, they are rarely solitary;
- flat neoplasms - another variant of the pathology that affects the face, neck, arms, often does not differ from the general color of the skin, which may make them somewhat difficult to detect;
- plantar warts form on the heels and in their structure resemble the most common corn, which can cause considerable discomfort while walking;
- Senile formations appear in elderly patients, they are usually initially small in size, but over time acquire a clear tendency to grow, can cause discomfort, as they are often located in closed parts of the body and isubject to friction.
Some also refer to genital warts as warts, but this is not entirely true, although the nature of the formations is similar.
It is very important to understand which species the wart identified belongs to.
As this will allow the doctor to choose the optimal removal tactics as well as the means to prevent relapse.
Causes of warts
Often patients, wondering why warts grow on the body, face and limbs, ask their doctors if the localization of the growths depends somewhat on their nature.
It is important to understand that the main reason for the appearance is always the same - it is the human papillomavirus activated in the body.
If the patient is not sick with HPV, then he will not form warts anywhere and ever.
If there is a virus in the body, a neoplasm can appear anywhere.
In some people, the virus is not felt throughout their lives.
Moreover, if the immune system is strong enough, the patient may not even know he is infected.
Unless specialized studies have been conducted.
If a neoplasm has appeared, it should be understood that the infection has already occurred.
Today, alas, it is impossible to get HPV out of your body.
However, with one effort, you can reduce the recurrence of the pathology to a minimum so that the virus no longer remembers itself.
Warts grow on the headmost often for the fact that there are more blood vessels.
This means that the easiest way for the virus to enter these areas and infect the maximum number of cells.
But why other parts of the body are affected is often asked by patients.
Why do warts grow on the hands
It is not uncommon for people to ask their doctors why warts grow on their fingers.
There are several reasons.
First of all, as doctors point out, the reason is that the hands are one of the main parts that are constantly in contact with the external environment.
Consequently, the easiest way for a virus to enter the body is through them through the contact-family route.
True, as doctors note, if there are no bruises and injuries to the skin of the hands, the risk of infection is minimized.
But if the patient's skin is traumatized, it becomes extremely easy to become infected.
Among other reasons, they are called:
- constant contact with objects of the external environment in public places (handrails, door handles, ordinary items) that may become infected;
- shaking hands with a person who has HPV and has characteristic redness or microtrauma to the skin of the hands, through which the virus can reach a healthy person;
- excessive dryness of the skin, which contributes to the formation of various microtraumas;
- sweating of the palms, which also negatively affects the protective properties of the skin;
- regular skin trauma to the hand area (industry work without gloves, cuts, etc. );
- ignoring the recommendation to use gloves in cold weather (slowing blood flow to the hands allows viruses to accumulate and more actively infect healthy cells).
Warts in the sole area
In many cases, warts on the legs also grow.
The patient may initially ignore it for a long time or fight it in the same way as they usually fight with a callus.
But these methods prove ineffective.
There are several reasons for the appearance of growths due to HPV in the sole area:
- the wart hurts and grows on the sole if a person often wears shoes made of unnatural materials, in which the skin sweats a lot and does not allow the foot to breathe normally;
- the appearance of a pathological growth is also possible if the patient walks barefoot in saunas, baths, swimming pools (since these places are considered public places, the virus can easily enter the environment, and due to high humidity is also able tostay in it for a long time);
- constant wearing of rubber shoes also negatively affects heat exchange and sweating, which can lead to the development of infection;
- as in the case of the hands, excessive drying of the skin also plays a role, which leads to lighter skin traumas than normal (for example, due to dryness, the heels often crack and the wounds become a good gateway for infection);
- Fungal diseases of the feet also contribute to HPV infection, as they lower local immunity.
Warts began to grow: provocative factors
As already mentioned, human papillomavirus, even if there is an infection, does not manifest in all people.
If the wart grows and itches or hurts?
This is a reason to think about the fact that the body was affected by any pathological factor that negatively affected immunity.
Among the reasons for the growth of warts or provocative factors are often called:
- the presence of diabetes mellitus of any kind in a state of decompensation;
- infected with HIV;
- decreased immunity under the influence of factors of an unfavorable environment (for example, due to staying in the cold, unhealthy diet, etc. );
- the period of pregnancy, which is always accompanied by immunosuppression, otherwise the woman would not be able to hold the fetus;
- use of drugs with glucocorticosteroid hormones in the composition, which have an immunosuppressive effect;
- some serious genetic pathologies can lead to virus activation;
- ignoring the rules of hygiene can cause pathological processes in the body;
- neglect of the principles of protection during sexual intercourse also often leads to infection, and subsequently to the development of the disease;
- exposure to heavy stress and overwork negatively affects the body’s immune defenses in all cases.
Exposure to one or more of these factors can lead to the fact that warts begin to grow in an adult or a child.
Wart removal methods
What to do if a wart grows, many patients are interested in their attending physicians.
After all, this pathology, although usually not painful, nevertheless causes aesthetic concern.
Especially ifwarts grow on the face. . .
First of all, a patient with a similar problem is advised to undergo removal of the cluster.
One of the following methods can be selected:
- chemical removal with the help of special drugs, with which the neoplasm is cauterized until it completely disappears;
- laser removal, which is also based on burning with a directed beam, which minimally traumatizes the surrounding tissues;
- cryotherapy, in which the removal is performed with the help of nitrogen, which sharply cools the pathological tissues, killing them;
- electrocoagulation is another popular method in which removal is provided due to the point effect of current;
- Surgical intervention is a technique used in exceptional cases if the increase is large or there are contraindications to the use of other methods of intervention.
If a wart grows on the eye or the growth is localized on any other part of the face, you should definitely consult your doctor.
You can not fight such neoplasms themselves with delicate location.
As this can lead to serious complications.
After removal, the doctor can not guarantee that the warts will no longer appear.
Recurrences of pathology are recorded in about 30% of cases.
Also, in some cases, the growths disappear on their own without outside intervention.
Which doctor should you contact if your warts grow?
If warts grow on the neckor in other parts of the body, then which doctor to consult, patients are interested.
First of all, it is worth visiting a dermatovenerologist.
It is this specialist who deals with various skin pathologies, including those caused by viral infections.
The doctor specializes in both dermatology and venereology.
He can also give advice on how to increase immunity to prevent recurrence of neoplasms.
Warts are unpleasant growths on the skin.
They significantly reduce aesthetic appeal, especially if they are located in prominent places.
A person suffers especially hard when the face is touched.
A timely visit to the doctor will help to easily get rid of the growth formed under the influence of HPV.
And following the recommendations will prevent relapses.
If warts appear, consult a dermatovenerologist at a specialized clinic.