What are Warts: Know its Types, Causes & Treatments

Warts are skin growths or a rough texture that can appear anywhere on the body. It can look like a solid blister or a small cauliflower that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 60 types of HPV, a number of that tend to cause warts on the skin. 

As many as 1 in 3 children and teenagers are estimated to have warts, but only 3 to 5 percent of adults. This is probably because the immune system becomes much better to prevent their development over time. HPV stimulates quick growth of cells on the skin's outer layer. In most cases, common warts seem on the fingers, near the fingernails, or on the hands. Certain kinds of HPV may also cause warts to appear within the reproductive organ region. 

People with a weakened immune system are a lot of probable to own warts. Black dots in the wart are blood vessels that can lead to bleeding. 

Types of Warts

1. Plantar warts: 

Plantar warts are found on the soles of the feet. This type of wart usually appears as flesh-colored or light brown lumps that are flecked with small clotted blood vessels that appear as tiny black dots. Plantar warts are found on the soles of the feet. 

2. Genital warts: 

Warts could look almost like the tiny elements of a cauliflower or they will be terribly tiny and tough to examine. They usually seem in clusters of 3 or four and will grow and unfold speedily.  Genital warts can appear in the public area, on the genitals, in or around the anus, and/or in the vagina. They look like tiny flesh-colored, pink, or red growths. They usually don't seem to be painful, although they may cause mild pain, bleeding, and itching. HPV infection is that the commonest sexually transmitted illness in North America and bound types of the virus will cause cervical cancer. 

Flat warts: Flat warts are smoother, flatter, and smaller than other warts and they generally occur on the face. This type of wart is more common in teens and children than in adults. Flat warts can also be found on the legs, especially among females. 

Warts are caused through direct contact with HPV that is contagious. HPV could spread by person-to-person contact or through direct contact with related object utilized by someone with the virus. The virus that causes warts can also spread to alternative places on the body of the person with warts. 

Treatment of Warts 

Treatments involve hydroxy acid, duct tape, cryotherapy, surgery, laser treatment, electrocautery, photodynamic therapy, chemical treatments, topical creams, cantharidin, and antigen shots. 

Most warts clear up without treatment. It can take from a few weeks to several years, depending on the location and number of warts. They usually disappear faster in children. 

Salicylic acid 

Most over-the-counter creams, gels, paints, and medicated Band-Aids contain salicylic acid. It is necessary to shield the skin around the wart before applying this treatment as a result of hydroxy acid might destroy healthy skin. Do not apply to the face. 

Cryotherapy 

Freezing liquid, often nitrogen is sprayed onto the wart, destroying the cells. A blister develops, which eventually scabs and falls off a week or so later. 
This treatment must be carried out by a healthcare professional. If the wart is large, this may require a local anesthetic and several sessions. 

Surgery 

A dermatologist can use cryotherapy to remove warts. This not common for warts, and there is a risk of scarring. Warts that resolve by themselves do not scar. 
Sometimes a doctor could advocate surgery if alternative treatments haven't worked. 

Cantharidin 

A doctor could apply a substance containing related extract from an insect known as meloid and alternative chemicals to warts. The area is then covered with a bandage.  This is painless however it creates a blister which will be uncomfortable. The blister lifts the wart from the skin, and also the doctor removes the dead a part of the wart. 

Other treatments for warts 

• Immunotherapy attempts to make the patient's immune system destroy the warts 

• Bleomycin, or Blenoxane, can be injected into the wart to kill the virus. Bleomycin is also used for treating some types of cancer. 

• Retinoids, derived from vitamin A, disrupt the wart's skin cell growth.