Warts are not inflammatory skin conditions. They look like small tumor-like structures with a size of 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 will teach you how to get rid of warts.
etiology
Why do warts appear on the body? As mentioned earlier, these formations appear due to an infection with papillomavirus on the skin. Infection occurs with the slightest damage to the skin (with various cuts, scratches, as well as through direct contact with a sick person or when sharing infected objects). The following factors are beneficial for activating the papillomavirus:
- decreased immunity;
- constant stress;
- frequent contact with virus carriers;
- lack of hygiene;
- Visiting the swimming pool or sauna;
- tight and inferior 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 to 5 months.
Types of warts
There are the following types:
- Usually - such warts appear on the hands (on the back), fingers, scalp, and also on the face. They look like dense round nodules with a rough surface.
- Flat (or juvenile) - are small yellowish nodules that are rounded in shape, have a flat surface and protrude slightly above the level of healthy skin. They usually appear on the face and hands, and are often found in school children and adolescents.
- Pointed - located in intimate places, looks like cauliflower, dark-fleshed or brown, sexually transmitted.
- Plantar warts are most common on the foot. They are painful, callus-like, and consist of thread-like papillae surrounded by significant layers of horny layers.
How can you remove warts yourself?
All formations on the skin can be malignant, so before starting treatment, you should consult a dermatologist, especially in such cases:
- if the wart is painful, bleeding, has changed shape or color;
- if the wart is large and bothersome;
- if the formation is located on visible parts of the body and causes mental discomfort;
- if new warts keep appearing.
It is worth noting that improper treatment can lead to malignancy (degeneration into malignant forms).
What can you do at home
After consulting a doctor, it is recommended to use one of the specialty chemicals sold in pharmacies that will help get rid of warts quickly. Before applying pharmaceutical preparations, it is recommended to first steam the skin in hot water with soap and soda, and then remove the stratum corneum with nail scissors. Salicylic ointment is often used to soften the plantar wart. To do this, it is applied to the formation and covered with an adhesive plaster. For some time, the skin is soaked in water and the keratinized areas are removed. All chemicals specifically designed to fight warts should be used strictly as directed.
What are the remedies for treating warts?
The following tools are very effective:
- A solution that contains phenol and m-cresol. The drug causes proteins to clot and has a corrosive effect. It also causes necrosis of pathological formations and exfoliation of areas of hyperkeratosis, promotes the death of virus cells and improves epithelialization. The main indications for its use are the removal of warts on the palms of the hands and feet, the removal of dry corns, genital warts and common warts. The specified solution is only used externally. When applying to pathological formations, care must be taken not to get the drug on healthy skin. Failure to do so could result in burns. Depending on the type of wart, either a single application or an application 5 to 10 times is necessary. Side effects are 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 using it.
- A cosmetic product made up of potassium and sodium alkalis. When applied to warts, it leads to their necrosis. Before use, the healthy areas of skin around the wart should be smeared with a cream to avoid burns. It is very easy to remove a wart with this remedy. It is sufficient to apply just one drop of it to the pathological growth every day for a week. Thereafter, the treatment is canceled. In cases where the wart remains, reapplication is carried out.
- A drug for cryotherapy - getting rid of warts with this tool is one of the methods of cryotherapy. Basically, a single intake of the drug is sufficient. To get rid of the debris, the drug applicator should be pressed against its surface. This will freeze the wart. A slight burning or tingling sensation and lightening of the skin may occur during the procedure.
- Transparent gel - the removal of growths on the skin with the help of this tool is carried out due to its antiviral properties. It comes in the form of a gel that should be applied twice a day for 20 days. The duration of treatment depends on the type and size of the pathological formations.
- Patch. Its main active ingredient is salicylic acid, which helps soften the deposits and facilitate their mechanical removal. This patch also contains sulfur, which penetrates deep into the skin and, together with salicylic acid, has a keratolytic effect. How do you remove a wart with a plaster? First take a warm foot bath, dry the skin with a towel and stick a plaster of the desired size firmly on the growth. 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 (you can use a pumice stone for this). Then the skin is dried and a new plaster is put on. 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, in order to get rid of the main etiological factor - human papillomavirus. If the described methods of therapy are ineffective, they resort to laser removal of the formations.