Warts are a non-inflammatory condition of the skin. They look like small tumor-like formations ranging in size from 1 mm to 1 cm or more. The appearance of warts has a viral etiology (they are caused by the activation of the human papillomavirus). This article explains how to get rid of warts.
Etiology
Why do warts appear on the body? As already noted, these formations appear on the skin due to papillomavirus infection. Infection occurs with the slightest damage to the skin (by various cuts, scratches, as well as through direct contact with a sick person or when sharing infected items). The following factors are favorable for papillomavirus activation:
- decreased immunity;
- constant stress;
- frequent contact with carriers of the virus;
- lack of hygiene;
- visits to the pool or sauna;
- tight and low quality shoes;
- increased sweating of the feet and palms.
Warts form on almost every area of the body (legs, arms, face, head). The incubation period is 2-5 months.
Types of warts
There are the following types:
- Common - such warts appear on the hands (on the back), on the fingers, on the scalp and also on the face. They look like dense round knots with a rough surface.
- Flat (or juvenile) - are small yellow nodules that have a rounded shape and a flat surface and protrude slightly above the level of healthy skin. As a rule, they appear on the face and hands, they are often found in school students and young people.
- Tipped - located in intimate places, have the appearance of cauliflower, with dark flesh or brown, sexually transmitted.
- Plantar warts most often appear on the feet. They are painful, callus-like, and consist of filiform papillae surrounded by substantial corneal layers.
How to remove warts yourself?
Any formation on the skin can be malignant, so you should consult a dermatologist before starting treatment, especially in such cases:
- if the wart hurts, bleeds, has changed its shape or color;
- if the wart is large and interferes;
- if the formation is located in visible parts of the body and is the cause of psychological distress;
- if new warts appear constantly.
It is worth noting that improper treatment can lead to malignancy (degeneration into malignant forms).
What can you do at home?
After consulting your doctor, it is recommended to use one of the special chemicals sold in pharmacies and help to get rid of warts quickly. Before applying any pharmaceutical preparations, it is recommended to first steam the skin in hot soapy water and soda and then remove the stratum corneum using nail clippers. Salicylic ointment is often used to soothe plantar warts. To do this, apply to the formation and cover with an adhesive plaster. For some time, the skin is steamed in water and the keratinized areas are removed. Any chemicals that are specifically created to fight warts should be used strictly according to instructions.
What are the tools to treat warts?
The following tools are very effective:
- A solution containing phenol and m-cresol. The drug causes protein coagulation and has a cauterizing effect. It also causes necrosis of pathological formations and exfoliation of areas of hyperkeratosis, promotes viral cell death and increases epithelialization. The main indications for its use are the removal of warts on the palms and soles, the removal of dry corn, genital warts and common warts. The specified solution is used exclusively externally. When applied to pathological formations, care should be taken not to inject the drug into healthy skin. Failure to do so may result in burns. Depending on the type of wart, a single application or 5 to 10 times is needed. Side effects include allergic reactions and the appearance of edema at the application site. One of the features of using the solution is that it is not recommended to use other drugs in the form of ointments before and after its application.
- A cosmetic product consisting of potassium and sodium alkali. When applied to warts, it leads to their necrosis. Before use, healthy areas of the skin around the wart should be smeared with cream to prevent burns. It is quite simple to remove a wart with this medicine. It is enough to apply only one point of it on the pathological growth every day for a week. After that, the treatment is stopped. In cases where the wart remains, reapply.
- A remedy for cryotherapy - removal of warts with this tool is one of the methods of cryotherapy. Basically, a single drug use is sufficient. To get rid of the buildup, the drug applicator should be pressed to its surface. This freezes the wart. During the procedure, a slight burning sensation or tingling sensation may appear, whitening of the skin.
- Transparent gel - removal of growths on the skin with the help of this tool occurs due to its antiviral action. Comes in the form of a gel, which should be applied twice a day for 20 days. The duration of treatment depends on the nature and size of the pathological formations.
- Patch. Its main active ingredient is salicylic acid, which helps to soften the accumulation and its easier mechanical removal. In addition, this fragment contains sulfur, which penetrates deep into the skin and, together with salicylic acid, provides a keratolytic effect. How to remove a wart with a patch? First you need to make a warm foot bath, dry the skin with a towel and firmly stick a plaster of the required size on the rise. The plaster is left for two days, after which the adhesive plaster is removed, the wart is soaked in warm water, the softened layers are removed (for this you can use a pumice stone). After that, the skin dries and a new adhesive plaster is applied. This treatment regimen is repeated 3-4 times. In some cases, longer therapy is required.
Since the appearance of warts is associated with a decrease in immunity, it is also recommended to take immunomodulators, as well as antiviral drugs to eliminate the main etiological factor - human papillomavirus. If the prescribed methods of therapy are ineffective, they use laser removal of formations.