Tag: wart

Warts in Kids

Nearly fifty percent of children acquire warts at some time or the other. Warts, in the real sense are benign tumors which develop when keratinocytes, a kind of skin cell, is infected by the wart virus. There are many types of warts, the most common being rough bumps which appear on fingers and hands. Others are flat warts, genital warts, plantar warts, and molluscum contagiosum. The difference is based on the types, location, and painfulness of the wart. Common warts appear on fingers and hands and usually are painless. Plantar warts appear on the soles and are sometimes painful. Periungal warts show up around the finger and toe nail. Warts which appear on the face are flat warts.

The symptoms of the common warts are that the skin develops an irregular surface and becomes rough. A dome starts to appear after a day after infection. A popular myth is that warts have roots, but they dont. They grow on the epidermis, which is the top most layer of the skin. The black portion is because of broken veins and clotted blood.

Warts come and go at various stages of life like childhood and teenage years. They usually go away by themselves. But some can be very painful, can spread quickly and some of them wont go away for many years. Such kind of warts should definitely be treated. The most common treatment among the pediatricians is cryotherapy. They will freeze the warts using liquid nitrogen. Cantharidin can also be applied, which is a painless treatment but can result in painful blisters at the end of the day. The minus point is that these treatments sometimes cause blistering and some warts wont come off in one sitting. If the warts wont still budge they are further treated with strong salicylic acid, intralesional immune-therapy, bleomycin, or a pulsed dye laser. Aldara can also be used in worst cases. Because of some treatments the warts grow to the end of the blister, which results in a bigger wart and some might even result in a scar.

Besides other common wart treatments, the most well-known home remedy is duct tape. The affected area is covered with duct tape for about six days. If within that time period, the tape peels off, it should be reapplied. After the sixth day, the duct tape should be removed and the wart should be soaked in water and a pumice stone or emery board should be used to scrap the top skin of the wart. After this, the duct tape should be reapplied again within twenty four hours and the same procedure should be repeated until the whole wart disappears. This procedure takes at least two months to get rid of the wart completely. Some kids hesitate to put duct tape on parts which are visible, like fingers and legs. They can be encouraged by making them wear colored duct tape, other than grey. Many home wart freezing and removal kits are also available in the market whose help can be taken.

Warts spread by direct contact with the wart or any material which the infected person has used like a used towel which has been contaminated. It is contagious and hence it is recommended to stay away from it at the very sight of it. All the cuts, rashes and bites should be cleaned regularly and should be kept covered. Another measure for prevention is wearing closed shoes in public places.

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When to Seek Professional Treatment for Warts

Research and clinical experience shows that most warts go away without any treatment at all. In some cases, you might decide to treat warts on your own, at home. There are times, though, when you will decide that it’s time to seek professional treatment for warts.

If you try to treat warts at home and they only get worse, you should see a doctor. Go in if you have used salicylic acid preparations for three months with little effect. You can see a health care expert about professional removal treatments at this time.

A wart might be located in a spot on your body that is easily irritated. If you have warts like these, you will probably want to seek help. If warts are unsightly, you will want to have someone help you remove the warts just to ease your embarrassment.

Plantar warts can be especially painful. Sometimes they can be so painful that people will go to the emergency room of a hospital to seek care. Whether you go to an urgent care clinic or just to your doctor’s office, you will want help with plantar warts that you can’t remove yourself.

Anyone with diabetes or peripheral artery disease should not try to treat plantar warts or any other warts on their lower extremities. It is always better to have a podiatrist deal with such situations.

There are times when you might mistakenly think something is a wart when it isn’t. If the warts change shape or color, your doctor will probably want to check it to determine what it is. If you’ve never had warts before and you’re past middle age, there’s reason for your doctor to make sure the lesions aren’t actually cancer.

Sometimes warts will grow very large. They can spread very rapidly to many parts of your body. If they become too large or too numerous to deal with by home treatment, see a doctor. There are many appropriate treatments for these more severe problems with warts.

It is possible to get a bacterial infection in a wart. If you have a bacterial infection, you might see red streaks coming from the wart. There might be pus or you might have a fever. The wart might be inflamed with excessive pain, redness, swelling and heat. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s time to check in with a physician.

Even if you only suspect genital warts, you should consider seeking a doctor’s help and advice. If you see any kind of sores, bumps, or warts in your genital area or around your anus, you might have this STD. You might also have burning or itching when you urinate. A discharge can come from the vagina of a woman or the penis of a man.

Abuse is a possible cause if children are found to have genital warts. This is one of the few ways children pick up this strain of the virus. Children should be referred to social services as well as a doctor. Anyone, child or adult, who has genital warts, should go to a doctor.

There are several different types of doctors who treat warts. Family medicine doctors, dermatologists, podiatrists, and pediatricians all do this work. If you have warts that need attention, don’t hesitate to call someone.

What Causes Warts?

Warts of all kinds are annoying and some can even signal danger. It would be nice to prevent them. To have any chance of doing that, you need an idea of what causes warts.

All warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus gets into the skin at a certain point and infects it. The cells in that area grow very rapidly. A wart is formed at that site.

Warm, moist environments are breeding grounds for many varieties of warts. Anyplace that is wet can be a threat. A shower or locker room floor can be a problem in this area, especially if warm water covers the floor. People can pick up HPV in swimming pools, hot tubs, and saunas.

Skin abnormalities give the virus a place to take hold. If you have an irritation or a rough spot on your skin, it can give rise to a wart. If you are a swimmer, you may have plantar warts because of the combination of the moist environment and rough or broken skin from the surfaces of the pool. Plantar warts get worse because pressure from walking on them pushes them into the skin.

You can also contract HPV at the site of a patch of broken skin. This can be a rash or a cut. It can be a hangnail or a fingernail that you have bitten off very closely. It can even happen with a scrape or a scratch.

You can get common warts following excessive handling, such as in a job, of meat or poultry. The same goes for fish. Working with these foods keeps the skin moist over a long period of time.

HPV also causes genital warts. They are considered a sexually transmitted disease. They can be spread through contact with the throat or the mouth occasionally. Usually, they are contracted through exposure to the genitals or the anus.

Once the HPV is in your system, the warts can be carried to any other place on the body. You do this by scratching or touching them. Then, when you touch another body part, the HPV is spread. If the strain you have is genital warts, the infected areas will be on the genital areas.

You may have genital warts for awhile and they may go away. If this happens, be careful. You can still spread genital warts even if you are showing no signs of the infection. Genital warts are highly contagious, so you should take precautions such as using condoms during sex.

The question may arise as to whether a mother can spread genital warts to a baby when it is being delivered. The answer is that she can, but only rarely. The only time this would be a concern is if the doctor suspects that the warts will bleed excessively. At that point, a cesarean section will probably be performed.
There are many ways that warts can be spread. Some of them have to do with the warm, moist environment that fosters their growth. Some have to do with sexual activity. However HPV is actually the only cause of warts.

Warts – Causes And Prevention

Warts are an ongoing problem for many people of all ages. They can go beyond being just a minor annoyance, sometimes resulting in much more serious health implications. Warts can be spread to other people, causing them to become infected with the virus. And some types of warts can be deadly. Taking all of these factors into consideration, it is a good idea to know what causes warts and methods you can take to minimize your risk of getting them. If you have already acquired warts, it is equally important if not more so, to lessen the chance of transmitting them to other people. The best precaution you can take is to be armed with the facts.

Warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus. So far, more than eighty different kinds of this virus have been identified. The various forms affect various parts of the body. The incubation period between when a person becomes infected and when an outbreak occurs also varies. The warts are easily transmittable from one person to another, and can also be transmitted from one part of the body to another area. Factors which determine a person’s likelihood of becoming infected include the state of the person’s immune system, the degree of virus that is present in the warts, the location of the warts, and the degree of contact.

Although it is often difficult or even impossible to prevent infection, there are some measures you can take to lessen this risk. If you already have one or more warts, it is important to prevent them from spreading. You should try to avoid touching the wart, for it can lead to the virus being spread to other areas you may touch afterward. You should avoid using other people’s towels and washcloths if they have not been cleaned. You should avoid wearing other people’s shoes. In locations where the virus might be present, you should make a point of wearing shoes to prevent indirect contact with infected surfaces. These factors will greatly reduce your risk of acquiring the virus associated with all forms of warts.

In addition, there are special factors associated with genital warts, which are the most serious and potentially deadly. These warts, which are a prime factor in cervical cancer, are spread by sexual contact. The risk of these warts and the cancer which results from them is highest in people who have multiple sexual partners. Although it is not as widely known as it should be, while having multiple partners increases the risk of coming in contact with a person who already has this infection, it has also been shown that having multiple partners alters one’s own natural levels of bacteria and will make you more susceptible to the virus. Not having multiple sexual partners is the most sound way to lessen your risk of acquiring genital warts. Those who already have them can also spread them by touch or by sharing infected washcloths and towels.

Currently, there are issues about a vaccine called Gardasil. This vaccine is proported to protect against four of the strains of Human Papilloma Virus which account for ninety percent of genital warts. Although this vaccine is not far beyond the testing stage, making the risk factors of the vaccine itself debatable, some locations are recommending it for young children. Some states are attempting to mandate this vaccine for little girls. In addition to the fact that the risk factors of the vaccine have not yet been adequately tested, the main issue being debated is whether giving elementary-school-aged children a vaccine to prevent a sexually-transmitted disease will lead many children and adolescents to believe it is okay to become sexually active and engage in a promiscuous lifestyle.