Common wart (simple, vulgar) is a benign skin formation that rises above its surface and represents a non—inflammatory papule covered with outgrowths from the cells of the keratinizing epithelium. Warts can occur on any part of the body, but they are more often located on the backs of the hands, fingers, and less often on the face. The color of the warts can vary from flesh to grayish; sizes – from 0.5 to 1.5 cm; the surface of the warts is uneven, rough. A visual inspection is usually sufficient for diagnosis; from additional studies, PCR analysis, histology is carried out. Removal of warts is carried out by cryodestruction, electro- and laser coagulation, surgical excision.
General information
Common wart is a soft epidermal formation of viral etiology. Warts are among the most common human skin diseases. According to some data, they occur in 45% of adults and 60% of children. The common wart, like other types of warts, is one of the manifestations of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is widespread among humans and animals. Infection is possible from an infected person or animal. The virus passes through the microtrauma present on the skin. Therefore, shaving, the habit of biting fingers or biting nails, various kinds of peels, etc. can contribute to the appearance of warts.
Symptoms
The favorite localization of the common wart is the back of the hands and fingers. They can also be located on the palms, face and very rarely on the mucous membranes. The sizes of ordinary warts vary from 5 mm to 1-1.5 cm. Usually such warts have a flesh color, less often a pinkish or yellowish color. Long-term warts tend to darken.
The common wart can be single or multiple. In the latter case, one of the largest warts stands out against the background of other warts — the so-called “maternal” wart.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis is carried out mainly on the basis of the clinical picture. Additionally, a PCR study for the human papillomavirus can be carried out.
The common wart needs to be differentiated from warty tuberculosis of the skin, warty basal cell carcinoma, keratoma, verrucous nevus, etc.
Treatment
The treatment consists in removing the wart in one way or another. Removal is usually performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. In the presence of several warts, in most cases it is sufficient to remove only the “mother” wart, and the rest eventually pass spontaneously.
A fairly common method is cryodestruction of a wart with dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Electrocoagulation is carried out by a special loop under the influence of an electric current. The advantages of laser removal include rapid wound healing and the absence of a scar. Surgical excision is used for large wart sizes. In order not to miss an oncological disease, a histological examination of the removed wart is mandatory.
To prevent the recurrence of an ordinary wart, its removal is better carried out against the background of antiviral treatment. In some cases of an ordinary wart, more often in children, self-healing is observed.
Traditional medicine treatment methods are based on repeated treatment of the wart with herbal remedies containing cauterizing and destructive chemicals. Such treatment is ineffective. If it helps to get rid of the wart, then over time it grows again. Quite often, folk methods lead to the development of complications: ulceration, infection, damage to neighboring healthy skin areas, the growth of warts due to their incomplete removal, etc.
Forecast
The prognosis is favorable. However, due to the viral nature of warts, none of the methods of their removal guarantees a complete cure. They tend to recur and can form again in another place of the skin.