The image of the evil witch with a wart on her nose is familiar to many people who enjoyed fairy tales as children. Far from being a problem only for villains in children’s stories, warts affect up to 10% of the world population. The issue is so common that texts dating back to the time of Hippocrates describe it.
A wart is nothing more than a benign proliferation on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus, and it has many kinds. Warts are usually harmless, although they can be a nuisance for aesthetic reasons or because they can become painful.
Despite being a common issue for so long, it was only in 1907 that Giuseppe Ciuffo showed that warts are viral infections. Before 1907, warts were a true medical mystery.
If you wish to know more about common warts, the treatments, and forms of prevention, be sure to read on check the following topics:
- What are the types of warts?
- How to diagnose common warts?
- Wart treatments and prevention
What are the types of warts?
Depending on the place and the strength of the infection that causes the wart, the body will have different reactions. Since they are caused by HPV and transmitted by touch, the condition can appear anywhere.
The location and the appearance of the skin are the main factors to know the type of wart.
The main types of warts are:
- Genital warts, a form of STD that can lead to cancer;
- Filiform warts that frequently appear around the eyes;
- Plantar warts. Usually happens on the bottom of the foot; and,
- Common warts. The most frequent type.
Common warts can appear almost everywhere in our bodies. But they are usually found on our hands and knees, where it’s easy to break the skin, thus, creating an easy target for a viral infection.
Though they can happen to anyone, people with a compromised immune system are the most prone to it. Also, this kind of wart occurs most often in children and young adults.
Although common warts aren’t dangerous, if one appears on you, a doctor should take a look since they are similar to other conditions, such as squamous cell carcinoma.
How to diagnose common warts?
If a person suspects that they have a wart, the recommendation is to make a specialized health assessment.
The professional will examine the region and will be able to tell just by inspecting the skin if it’s a wart or not. In some cases, a biopsy might be necessary to diagnose.
Common warts treatment and prevention
Once a common wart is correctly diagnosed, the physician will indicate the appropriate treatment. The treatment has to kill all the infected cells to be effective. This can be difficult if the infection has gone too deep in the skin.
If the infected skin is not eliminated in the indicated time, the wart will probably grow again.
Some common forms of treatment include:
- Cryotherapy (freezing);
- Wart removers medicine;
- An excision (cutting out);
- Laser treatment, among others.
Now that you know how to treat it, you must be wondering how one can prevent a wart from appearing, right?!
Well, the most important forms of warts prevention are:
- HPV vaccination;
- Cleaning measures, such as not using someone else’s towels, not sharing clothes, being aware of open wounds, and not leaving them open, etc.;
- Frequently wash your hands;
- Use protection during sex. Since HPV is spread by contact, minimizing the contact will decrease the likelihood of infection.
Stay tuned to our blog to get our latest news!