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Warts
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Warts are benign skin growths caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). These
skin growths develop in broken skin and can occur anywhere on the body. Warts
are contagious and can be transmitted from person to person. They may occur anywhere
on the body but are frequently seen on areas of frequent contact i.e. the hands
and face
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- Verruca Vulgaris or common warts
- Rough, gray-brown, dome-shaped growths which may occur anywhere on the
body. These warts are frequently seen on areas of frequent contact i.e.
hands, feet and face.
- Plantar warts
- Hard, thick patches of skin with dark specks, these are commonly present
on soles and feet
- Periungual or subungual warts
- This type of warts are present under the fingernails or toenails
- Verrucae Planea Juveniles or flat warts
- Tiny, pinhead size warts with flat surfaces, commonly present on face,
forehead, arms and legs
- Genital warts
- Flesh to gray in color, often grow together in clusters and form cauliflowerlike
masses. These warts are found on the genitals, around the anus, within
the rectum or vagina or on the cervix.
- Filliform warts
- Flesh-colored warts with fingerlike projections, these warts are usually
found around the mouth, nose or beard area.
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- Small or large bumps
- Usually painless
- Flesh-colored, white, pink or tan
- Rough or grainy to touch
- May contain tiny black dots,
which are sometimes called wart seeds but are actually small, clotted blood
vessels.
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Warts usually do not cause any symptoms unless
they are on areas of repeated friction. They are potentially harmless and tend
to regress or
disappear over
time. However, warts are considered a social stigma as they are considered
unsightly and contagious. Large numbers of plantar warts on the foot may cause
difficulty running & walking & can be debilitating.
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- Application of cantharidin to remove the wart. Canthardin is mixed with
other chemicals, painted onto the skin and covered with a bandage. This results
in a skin blister which can be quite uncomfortable. The blister lifts the
wart off your skin and it can be carefully removed along with the surrounding
dead skin by your physician.
- Use topical preparations containing salicylic and lactic acid on a daily
basis for several weeks.
- Surgical removal or removal of the wart by freezing (cryotherapy), burning
(electrocautery), or laser treatment may be needed.
- Injecting the wart with a medication called bleomycin can kill the virus.
- Medications and patches containing salicylic acid are available over-the-counter.
These can be used to treat warts at home. These medications are available
in different strengths such as for common warts, a solution or patch containing
17 percent salicylic acid is used which peels off the infected skin. These
products require to be used daily for a few weeks. For best results, soak
your wart in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes before applying a solution or
patch, and file away any dead skin with a nail file or pumice stone between
treatments. Just be careful. The acid in these products can irritate or damage
normal skin.
- Immunotherapy, causes by a localized allergic reaction that may be triggered
by your immune system can be very useful. Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immunotherapy
medication that is commercially available as a cream increases the skin's
immune response to the wart, resulting in the death of the wart.
- Do not pick at warts as it may spread the virus.
- Keep your hands as dry as possible, wash your hands carefully after touching
your warts.
- Avoid direct contact with people who have warts to prevent spread of infection.
- Do not comb or shave areas with warts in order to avoid spreading the virus.
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