Warts: What They Are and How to Recognize Them

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Cutaneous warts affect mainly at a young age, preferably located on the back of the hands, on the soles of the feet and in the nail contour. They are sustained by a viral infection that is often transmitted through the mixed use of public environments, especially by attending showers, swimming pools and sports fields open to the community.
There is also "another type of warts: genital warts which naturally occur in the reproductive organs. Transmission generally occurs through sexual intercourse; not surprisingly, they are considered as real sexually transmitted diseases.
However, this topic will not be explored in the following article, in which instead we will deal almost exclusively with skin warts.

affecting man (called HPV, from Human Papilloma Virus).
The incubation period of the papilloma virus varies from two to nine months, during which there is a slow hyperproliferation of the cells of the dermis and / or epidermis.
Among the main risk factors that can cause and favor the appearance of warts, we find:

Weakening of the immune defenses (stress, poor diet and debilitating pathologies considerably increase the susceptibility to infection);
Genetic factors (resistance to pathogenic action is genetically determined);
Skin lesions (they are the main gateway to the virus; for this reason warts are more frequently located in areas subject to trauma);
Mixed use of towels, bathrobes, slippers (plantar warts) and nail care items (warts located along the nail perimeter);
Accumulation of moisture (use of wet socks or shoes);
Inadequate footwear and socks (made of non-breathable synthetic materials);
Walking barefoot in the changing rooms or public restrooms.

Finally, poor skin hygiene and excessive exposure to sunlight (including tanning lamps) also indirectly facilitate the onset of warts.

, mainly in very popular places, such as showers and saunas in gyms and swimming pools. In these locations the warm humid climate favors the survival of the virus which, benefiting from the skin maceration induced by water, can take root with a certain ease.
Direct contagion is also frequent, which occurs, for example, by touching the warts of others. Transmission is frequent in both men and women and can also occur by self-injection, that is, through the passage of microorganisms from the site of infection to another area of the body.

, cutaneous warts are classified according to their histological and morphological characteristics and according to the area in which they occur.
Based on this classification, we can therefore distinguish the following types of skin warts:

Vulgar or common warts: they are observed more frequently on the back of the hands and fingers, on the legs and on the soles of the feet.In this latter location the warts are generally painful and take on particular characteristics that differentiate them from the other types (plantar warts). The vulgar warts have a typical round shape, a hard and rough surface and are gray-brown in color.
Flat warts: usually present on the face or back of the hands in young patients; however, they can also occur in the hands, knees and arms. Generally, these warts are small and flat-topped. Compared to other types of warts, these have a smoother surface and their color can vary from pink to yellow, up to brownish. They are usually asymptomatic and difficult to recognize; in some cases they occur in clusters.
Deep plantar warts: These warts occur on the soles of the feet, but in some cases they can also spread to the ankles. They are characterized by being particularly annoying and painful, due to the constant pressure exerted on them when standing or walking. Because of this pressure, plantar warts tend to be flatter than other types of warts and to grow inward rather than outward.
Periungual warts: This type of warts occurs around the nail bed. It is characterized by a particular aspect which, in a certain sense, resembles the shape of a cauliflower.
Filiform warts: As you can guess from their name, these warts have an elongated shape. They mostly occur in the areas around the mouth, nose and eyes. In addition to their particular shape, filiform warts are characterized by their color, typically the same as that of the skin.
Mosaic warts: mosaic warts generally occur under the toes, but in some cases they can also spread to the entire plant. They appear as small white crusts that appear in groups. Compared to plantar warts, however, this type it does not cause pain when walking.

In the elderly, another type of warts, called seborrheic, is more common. However, in these cases, we speak more properly of seborrheic keratosis, since the cause of their onset does not lie in a "viral infection, but is to be found in a predominantly family component (for more information: Seborrheic Keratosis).

How to recognize warts?

Knowing the typical sites of appearance and the characteristics that each type of warts possesses, it is possible to be able to recognize these lesions. However, it is very important to consult your doctor or dermatologist who will be able to make a correct diagnosis in order to prescribe a suitable treatment.

to the area affected by the disorder to understand what it is.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must however make sure that the signs and symptoms that have occurred on the patient are not attributable to other disorders or pathologies, such as, for example, calluses, seborrheic keratoses, lichen planus or squamous cell carcinomas.
More rarely, however, it is necessary to resort to biopsy. In these cases, the dermatologist will remove the entire wart and have it analyzed.

, whose color can vary from pink, to yellowish, up to brownish or grayish.
Furthermore, some types of warts are characterized by the presence of small dark dots inside them. These dots represent the thrombosed capillaries due to the stretching of the papillae.
Skin warts are generally asymptomatic, but - if located on surfaces exposed to pressure or rubbing (such as the soles of the feet) - they can cause pain. In very rare cases, they could also bleed.

For further information: Warts Symptoms;

Presence of pus.

. In any case, the therapeutic choice differs according to the type of wart, its position, depth, number and extension of the affected skin area.
The first choice treatment is often based on the simple use of solutions based on salicylic acid and lactic acid, to be applied directly on the wart for about 12 weeks. These active ingredients, in fact, are endowed with a keratolytic action which determines the destruction of the cells that make up the wart.

Eliminate skin warts with cryotherapy

Only in case of failure of the aforementioned treatments, alternative strategies such as cryotherapy can be chosen. This technique exploits the freezing activity of liquid nitrogen, sprayed directly on the wart or applied with a small pad. The treatment can be painful, although in many cases the patient feels only a slight sting. Numerous applications are often required and the therapy is sometimes repeated after one or two weeks.
Precisely in this regard, it is good to remember that, before implementing "the advice of the" friend "or buying the modern kits to perform the therapy with liquid nitrogen independently, it is essential to consult your doctor and not improvise in therapies" do-it-yourself".

Eliminate Warts with Laser Therapy

Effective, but rather expensive, laser therapy can be chosen by the dermatologist in case of relapses or very extensive lesions. Also in this case, the treatment of warts can be painful and scarring, generally more frequent than cryotherapy, cannot be excluded.

Eliminate Warts with Podophyllin Resins

The treatment of warts can also be based on the use of certain chemicals, such as podophyllin resins, used above all in the treatment of anogenital forms.

Other treatments

In relatively recent times, some innovative creams for topical use have been introduced on the pharmaceutical market, capable of stimulating the local immune response towards the papilloma virus (imiquimod, trade name Aldara®).
This new and extraordinary therapeutic approach helps the body to eradicate the infection, promoting spontaneous healing and reducing the rate of relapses. Used above all for the treatment of warts in the anogenital area, this therapeutic method is however not without undesirable effects (generally irritating).

Please note

Despite the numerous methods of treatment, warts tend to be difficult to eradicate and in some cases reappear after a short time. Early intervention is also very important to prevent their spread to other areas of the body.

To learn more: Warts are many drugs for the treatment of warts. However, the most common is certainly the one according to which to permanently eliminate a wart it is necessary to eradicate its root. In truth, this rumor is absolutely a myth to dispel since warts do not have any root and in any case do not develop very deeply, since, generally, the infection affects only the epidermis and the dermis.