Warts are not inflammatory diseases of the skin. They look like small tumors that range from 1 mm to 1 cm or more. The appearance of warts has a viral cause (they are caused by the activation of human papillomavirus). This article explains how to get rid of warts.
Cause
Why do warts appear on the body? As previously mentioned, these formations appear on the skin due to papillomavirus infection. Infection occurs with the slightest damage to the skin (through various incisions, scratches, as well as through direct contact with a sick person or when sharing infected objects). The following factors are beneficial for papillomavirus activation:
- reduced immunity;
- constant stress;
- frequent contact with virus carriers;
- lack of hygiene;
- visit the pool or sauna;
- narrow and low-quality shoes;
- increased sweating in the legs and palms.
Warts form on almost any area of the body (legs, arms, face, head). The gestation period is 2 - 5 months.
Types of warts
There are the following types:
- Normal - such warts appear on the hands (on the back), on the fingers, scalp and also on the face. They look like dense round nodules with a rough surface.
- Flat (or young) - are small yellowish nodules that have a rounded shape and a flat surface and protrude only beyond the height of healthy skin. They usually appear on the face and hands, they are often found in school children and young people.
- Bendótt - located in close places, have the appearance of cauliflower, dark flesh-flesh or brown, sexually contagious.
- Plantar warts usually appear on the foot. They are painful, callous, and consist of filamentous papillae surrounded by significant corneal layers.
How to remove warts yourself?
All formations on the skin can be malignant, so you should consult your dermatologist before starting treatment, especially in such cases:
- if the wart hurts, bleeds, has changed shape or color;
- if the wart is large and disturbed;
- if the formation is located on visible parts of the body and is the cause of psychological discomfort;
- if new warts appear constantly.
It is noteworthy that improper treatment can lead to malignancies (degeneration into malignant forms).
What can be done at home?
After consulting a doctor, it is recommended to use one of the special substances sold in pharmacies and help to get rid of warts quickly. Before applying the product, it is recommended to first steam the skin in warm water with soap and soda and then remove the corner layer with nail clippers. Salicylic ointment is often used to soften the plantar wart. To do this, it is applied to the formation and covered with an adhesive patch. For some time, the skin is evaporated in water and the keratinized areas are removed. All materials specifically designed to combat warts should be used exactly as prescribed.
What are the methods to treat warts?
The following tools are very effective:
- A solution containing phenol and m-cresol. The drug causes clotting of proteins and has a cauterizing effect. It also kills pathological pathogens and exfoliates areas with overheating, promotes viral cell death and increases epithelialization. The main indications for its use are to remove warts on the palms and soles of the feet, get rid of dry grains, genital warts and common warts. The specified solution is for external use only. When applying the medicine for pathological formations, care must be taken that the medicine does not reach healthy skin. Failure to do so may result in fire. Depending on the type of wart, either single use or use 5 to 10 times is required. Side effects include allergic reactions and the appearance of edema at the site of use. One of the features of using the solution is that it is not recommended to use other medicines in the form of ointments before and after its use.
- Cosmetics consisting of potassium and sodium alkali. When used on warts, it leads to their killing. Before use, lubricate the healthy area of the skin around the wart with a cream to prevent burns. It is rather easy to remove a wart with this remedy. It is enough to use just one drop of it on pathological growth every day of the week. After that, treatment is stopped. In cases where the wart remains, it is repaired.
- Freezing treatment - getting rid of warts with this tool is one of the freezing treatment methods. In principle, one use of the drug is sufficient. To get rid of the accumulation, push the medication control to the surface. This freezes the wart. During the operation, there may be a slight burning sensation or tingling sensation, whitening of the skin may occur.
- Transparent gel - the removal of growth on the skin with the help of this tool takes place due to its antiviral activity. It 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 images.
- Band-Aid. The main active ingredient is salicylic acid, which helps to soften the accumulation and facilitate its mechanical transport. In addition, this patch contains sulfur, which penetrates deep into the skin and together with salicylic acid, gives it a keratolytic effect. How to remove a wart with a patch? You should first create a warm foot bath, wipe the skin with a towel and glue a patch of the required size tightly to the growth. Leave the patch on for two days, after which the adhesive patch is removed, the wart is soaked in warm water, the softened layers are removed (for this you can use pumice stone). After that, the skin is dried and a new adhesive patch is applied. This treatment regimen is repeated 3-4 times. In some cases, longer treatment is required.
Since the appearance of warts is associated with a decrease in immunity, it is also recommended to take immunosuppressive drugs, as well as antiviral drugs to eliminate the main causative factor - human papillomavirus. If the described treatment methods are ineffective, they resort to laser removal of the images.