Warts

Warts are caused by Human papilloma virus or also known as HPV virus. There are approximately 200 types of HPV. These different types of HPV can cause warts in different areas of body or may cause different looking warts on the same area. Eg. Some HPV types occur more commonly on genital mucosa. Similarly some warts appear as single raised spot like a horn while others can show cauliflower type of growth. HPV causes rapid multiplication of infected skin cells and as a result presents as outgrowth that are not just ugly looking but can be contagious to others. Common causes of spread of infection is direct skin contact or by touching wet/ abraded areas with infected surfaces. HPV virus is mnowm to remain in latent stage or inactive stage after initial infection. It means in people who are foing to show development of a wart after infection may take upto 12-15mths also. Most widespread type of warts is common warts and genital warts. This is followed by planter warts. Children, adolescents and peolle who have weak immunity are more liklely to be infected by warts. After exposure to HPV some people are more sensitive to develop warts while others are more resistant. People who are more involved in activites where direct skin contact is more such as players; swimming, barner etc are more prone to develop warts.

How does a wart look like?

1. It is a benign skin growth and appears like a rough growth with uneven surface like cauliflower.
2. Some warts which are known as verruca plana look like sun spots.
3. An outgrowrh which bleeds when there is truma like shaving cuts like waxing.
4. Warts can be painful thick spots on soles.

Reasons to get wart treated.

1. Warts are contagious to other people such as partners and family members and should be treated as soon as possible.
2. Warts can get transferred to other uninfected body areas like beard warts infecting face areas or nails and palms.
3. Warts can be annoying and look really bad and reduce the social standing of infected person.

Treatment of warts.
Warts can be treated in multiple ways based on the number, size, severity, immune status of the person and stubbornness of warts to respond to treatment.

1. Topical cream application.
2. Oral supplements.
3. Oral tablets.
4. Co2 laser removal – these laser systems are selectiveand don’t damage the surrounding healthy tissue.
5. Cryotherapy: it is selective removal of warts by freezing the warts to very cold temperature and mainly ised for some specific aread like palmar warts, soles or genital warts.
6. Paring- this is used to debulk the viral load so that other methods can act faster and effectively specially plantar warts. An additional reason to do paring in plantar warts is to make walking comfortable for the patients where warts are painful and infected.
7. Radiofrequency ablation- it is very specific like co2 laser ablation and leads to instant removal of wart.
8. High strength acidic medication applications.
9. Podophyllin for genital wart.
10. Autoinoculation of warts.
11. Vaccination for warts.
12. Surgical removal for warts.

Once visible warts are removed; it is important to come for regular examination so that complete clearance can be ensured.