Warts Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Warts are protrusions on the skin as a result of excessive thickening of the outer layer of the skin. Generally small, although some are quite large.
Warts can appear anywhere on the human body. From the feet, back, and face, to what often happens to the hands or fingers. This type of skin disorder is generally rough to the touch and sometimes marked by the presence of small black dots.
Symptoms
There are several signs that can be found in complaints of warts, namely:
- The appearance of small bumps on the skin
- The color of the bumps which can be skin-colored, white, pink, or brownish
- Rough to the touch
- Presence of small black dots, which are small blocked blood vessels
Reason
Warts are caused by a viral infection and are transmitted by touch. Children and adolescents are a population that is quite vulnerable to warts because their immune system is sometimes unstable. Warts can die by themselves. But most people choose to do the lifting because of aesthetic considerations or embarrassment.
One of the causes of warts is infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV, but only a few can cause warts on the hands. Some other types of HPV can cause warts on other parts of the body, and some other types can cause serious conditions such as cervical cancer.
Warts which are viral infections can be transmitted through skin contact with a person who has warts. A person who has warts can also spread the warts to other parts of the body. The virus can enter the body through gaps between the skin, such as through cuts or cuts in the skin. Although it can ‘infiltrate’, not everyone who is exposed to HPV will experience a skin infection and progress to warts. This is because each person’s immune system has a different response to HPV.
Those who have a high risk of developing warts are:
- Children and young adults
- People with a weakened immune system, such as people who are seriously ill, have HIV/AIDS syndrome, or those who have had an organ transplant
Diagnosis
In most cases, the diagnosis of warts can be known through medical interviews, direct physical examinations, and supporting examinations. Generally, the top layer of the wart is scraped off to reveal any dark dots indicating blocked blood vessels, which is common with warts.
In addition, the doctor can do a shave biopsy which is a procedure for removing small parts of warts. These small flakes will be sent to a laboratory to determine the status of the wart, the type of medication and appropriate treatment, and prevent other possible skin growths.
Treatment
Warts are treated based on the location and complaints experienced by the wart sufferer. The main goal of treatment is to remove warts and stimulate the body’s resistance to the virus. Handling can take place quickly or for a long time, depending on the body’s immune response.
Some wart treatment options that you need to know:
- Strong peeling treatment. This is a drug therapy with a type of salicylic acid that a doctor can prescribe. This topical medication works by removing the wart layer little by little. Research shows that salicylic acid is more effective when combined with clotting therapy.
- Freezing (cryotherapy). The therapy that should be done by the expert is in the form of applying liquid nitrogen to the wart. Freezing therapy works by creating a wound on and around the wart. After that, the dead skin tissue will be scraped off in about a week.
This method can also stimulate the body’s resistance to fight warts caused by viruses. There are times when cryotherapy needs to be done more than once. Side effects of the procedure in the form of pain and changes in skin color in the infected area are normal things that you don’t need to worry about.
- Other types of acids. If salicylic acid or clotting doesn’t work, there are other types of acids that are also commonly used by doctors, such as bichloroacetic or trichloroacetic acid. Because it is quite strong, there are side effects in the form of pain and a burning sensation which you also don’t need to worry about.
- Laser therapy. Laser therapy is aimed at damaging small blood vessels. In this way, the infected tissue will be damaged and die. Then the wart will be released. However, clinical evidence of this procedure is limited. The side effects to be aware of are the possibility of some pain and the formation of scar tissue.
Prevention
Here are some steps you can take to prevent warts:
- Avoid direct contact with other people’s warts
- Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly
- Wash your hands after touching warts on your own body
- Keep the skin of your feet and hands clean and dry
- Avoid walking barefoot in public places
- Always replace socks with clean socks
- Avoid scratching or touching warts, as this can spread the infection