Warts on the hands can bring a lot of unpleasant times to the owner, cause constant discomfort, and may cause psychological problems. This tumor looks very unsightly, forcing them to hide their hands and avoid close communication. Today we will talk about the reasons for their appearance, the variety of forms and how to remove warts on the hands.
Why do warts appear on my hands?
Warts are tumors of viral etiology and are usually benign. The cause of the warts on the hands is a different type of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Infection occurs through contact. The virus not only infects the skin, but also infects the mucous membranes. The infection is transmitted from carriers to healthy people through shaking hands, using common household items and personal hygiene products (towels, towels). Sometimes, just by grabbing the handrail, grabbing the door handle, or pressing the elevator button, harmful viruses enter the body through microscopic damage to the skin (minor scratches, scrapes, or wounds).
For information about the causes and treatment of warts on your fingers, consult a dermatologist. Experts warn that viruses that cause characteristic growth are widespread in the environment. It reproduces particularly actively in warm and humid conditions. People who like spa are highly likely to be infected with HPV. They often go to swimming pools, bathhouses, and saunas. Workers in poultry farms or meat and fish production are particularly at risk. Any micro-trauma may become a portal for viruses to enter.
Many times, self-infection becomes the cause of warts on the hands. People who have the habit of biting their fingers or nails will experience ugly growths in the periungual area. After going to the nail salon, if you violate the hygiene standards and the tools are not thoroughly disinfected, you may also encounter unpleasant problems.
The incubation period lasts from 2 to 6 months, but even in this case, characteristic growth may not develop immediately. If a person's immunity is strong, the virus will enter a "dormant" state and will not appear for a long time. When the immune system weakens, it will "wake up" and begin to reproduce rapidly. There are many irritating external and internal factors that will promote the activation of the virus. In this list:
- Recent infection
- Worsening of chronic diseases;
- Improper and unbalanced nutrition;
- Hormonal disorders;
- Vitamin deficiency;
- bad habits;
- Increased sweating;
- Violation of hygiene standards;
- Long-term stressful situation.
Any of these factors will cause the body's defenses to decline and trigger the proliferation mechanism of virus particles. In order to determine what warts appear on the hands, the dermatologist should perform a diagnostic examination.
What's the danger
Warts are considered to be benign lesions. However, they can cause severe discomfort because they tend to grow and spread quickly. For example, vegetation on the back of the hand can spread to the fingers, increase in size, and form multiple groups.
The danger comes from accidental injury to warts or failed attempts to burn them with aggressive solutions. Damaged tumors can bleed, injure, and change color, size, and shape. This is already a serious problem because the risk of malignant transformation has increased.
You can find out more about the causes and treatment of finger warts when you meet with a dermatologist. Warts on the fingers-the cause and treatment of this pathology are handled by a dermatologist. Only experts know how to solve this problem and what needs to be done to get rid of the tumor forever. Do not self-medicate-this can lead to unpredictable consequences. Seeking medical help in time will help solve a difficult problem and prevent the virus from spreading further and forming new warts.
Types of warts on hands
There are more than one hundred warts, which are caused by various variations of HPV. What does the wart on your hand look like? Photos of various types of tumors are available on our website.
The following types of tumors are located on the skin and fingers:
Ordinary (vulgar)
Simple warts appear as dense, round, irregularly shaped nodules with rough surfaces. They can be of different colors (from flesh to dark brown), size, and located on any part of the body (face, neck, head, legs, torso). In the upper limb area, hyperplasia is most commonly formed on the back of the hand and fingers. Photos of warts on the hands provide a more complete understanding of their structure and appearance.
Such tumors tend to merge. First, a large "maternal" wart will appear on the skin, and over time, a smaller structure will form around it. If you remove it, the remaining growth will disappear on its own. Common warts are painless and do not cause much discomfort (except for aesthetics).
If the skin is injured during the manicure, warts may appear on the fingers next to the nail plate. But more commonly, this growth is formed in children and adolescents who bite their nails. Nail warts are large and can cause discomfort when writing or doing manual labor. They have deep roots and can penetrate the dermis under the nail bed. As a result, the nails become thin and gradually deteriorate. The warts themselves look very unsightly. They are easily damaged, which can cause unnecessary complications. In addition, other people can see vegetation on their fingers, which is considered a cosmetic defect.
The dermatologist will tell you how to remove the warts on your fingers. In most cases, experts recommend removing such formations. People with warts on their hands pose a threat to those around them-from him you can come into contact with the virus.
Palma (flat)
This structure is a flat wart. It is more common in young people and elderly patients. They are formed in areas with constant mechanical stress and maximum pressure. The flat warts on the hands look like dense growths covered with a thick stratum corneum, slightly higher than the skin. They have a smooth surface without irregularities and roughness, and deep roots extend into the dermis. The formation of growth may be accompanied by mild itching. The palm growth is single, or growth, forming a kind of "mosaic" in the affected area.
The cause of formation is the penetration of papilloma virus. When shaking hands or touching an infected surface, the pathogen spreads. It is difficult to treat warts on the palms, which overgrow in large groups. Such tumors are prone to recurrence. In addition, they may feel painful and unpleasant during physical labor. Increased sweating and neglect of personal hygiene standards promote their spread.
Flat warts can be confused with corns, so correct diagnosis is important for effective treatment. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor will decide how to remove the flat warts on the hands and what treatments to take to help prevent further spread of the virus.
senescence
Senile warts or age-related keratomas appear in the elderly and the elderly (after the age of 50). They look like keratinized pigment plaques, up to a few centimeters in diameter. The shape of this structure is flat or convex, and the structure is loose because the tissue is full of sebaceous gland secretions. When scratched, the top layer easily separates, leaving a bleeding, inflamed surface underneath it.
Unlike other tumors, the appearance of senile keratomas has nothing to do with papilloma virus. Growth occurs due to uncontrolled growth of the surface layer of the epidermis. Therefore, you will not get senile warts. The main cause of keratomas is believed to be prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light and age-related changes.
First, a spot is formed on the surface of the skin, which is actually no different from the color of the skin. Gradually, it grows, acquires a brown tint, and rises above the skin. The appearance of this pimples resembles a thimble with a groove on the top. With further growth, a characteristic plaque shape is formed and covered with a stratum corneum. Under the loose scales, there are many bristles hidden, which are formed by clogged hair follicles.
The main location of senile hyperplasia is the open parts of the body (face, neck, hands). In most cases, multiple plaques will form on the back of the hand. They are characterized by long-term development, and in individual cases, such formations will disappear on their own. In other cases, keratomas can transform into horns-a painful cone-shaped product.
How to treat warts not related to papillomavirus? The diameter of senile keratomas may be very large, or they may form large groups of small warts. The convex structure is easily damaged, which increases the risk of malignant tumors. These warts can develop into basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, it is necessary to control any changes that occur in the tumor.
Dermatologists know how to treat warts on the hands. If you notice a suspicious structure that is rapidly growing, discolored, injured or bleeding, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Suspicious growth must be removed by subsequent histological examination of the material.
diagnosis method
An experienced doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis based on the appearance of the wart. Dermoscopy is a supplement to the naked eye examination-the use of a special magnifying device to study the tumor. Under high magnification, the structure and characteristics of the growth are clearly visible, which allows it to be distinguished from other strata (pigmented nevi, papilloma, seborrheic keratoma). PCR blood testing will help confirm the viral nature of the tumor.
If you suspect a malignant transformation, you need to consult an oncologist. The patient was referred for ultrasound and siascopy surgery, during which time a special spectrophotometer was used to scan the formation. After the diagnosis is made, the doctor will choose a treatment plan or decide how to remove the warts on the fingers, hands, or other parts of the upper extremities in a more thorough manner.
Warts on the hands: treatment
The formation of warts is closely related to the decline of immunity, so the treatment should be comprehensive and treat the main problems. It is not only necessary to prevent the reproduction of the virus and eliminate growth, but also to restore the function of the immune system to prevent repeated relapses. The essence of the treatment procedure is the use of antiviral drugs, erosion agents, or hardware techniques to remove warts.
Treat warts and papillomas with medications
In the treatment of viral warts, the following groups of drugs are used:
- Antiviral drugs in the form of pills or injections;
- Immunomodulatory drugs that restore the function of the immune system;
- Multivitamin complex.
Combination therapy must include antiviral drugs for external therapy. The ingredients of these drugs quickly penetrate the skin and prevent the virus from multiplying. The drug dosage and dosage regimen are determined by the doctor, taking into account possible contraindications, virus types, tumor prevalence, and other nuances. Senile keratomas are treated by surgery, cryotherapy or electrocoagulation.
Particularly popular is the hand wart treatment, which contains corrosive chemicals that can burn and mummify wart tissue. After consulting a doctor at home, the following drugs can be used:
Celandine solution
It is an alkaline solution designed to remove warts, calluses or papillomas. The mechanism of action is to destroy the structure and root of the tumor, thereby causing it to die. The instructions for use of warts are simple-you need to use a special applicator to apply the solution to the growths that were previously steamed in hot water. It is recommended to lubricate the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly or baby cream to prevent chemical burns. The fact that the drug is working will be indicated by a burning sensation. The treatment must be carried out point by point within 3-5 days. Darkening of the treatment area indicates the accumulation of tissue necrosis. Within a week, the warts will disappear and fall off on their own.
Before using the medicine, you should read the instructions carefully to avoid unnecessary complications.
There are several effective home cryotherapy medications available. The essence of this method is to freeze the wart tissue and then necrotize it. With their help, you can get rid of medium-sized vulgar warts. To remove the tumor, you need to apply the medicine point by point and let it dry completely. The treated area will turn white with a slight burning sensation. Soon, the skin in the treated area will turn red and blisters will form in the wart area. It takes 10 to 14 days to completely eliminate the accumulation. During this time, the warts and roots will die and fall off together, and the new skin will stay in place.
Surgical methods
The use of radical cures to treat warts on the fingers and other parts of the upper limbs is considered the most effective. Consider the popular way:
Electrocoagulation
This is a method of using high-frequency current to remove tumors, in the process it burns the wart tissue. The radiation also seals the blood vessels, thereby eliminating the risk of bleeding and infection. A wound left at the wart will soon be covered with scab. This method is best for removing small growths.
The disadvantage of electrocoagulation is that it may form scars and the tissue growth cannot be used for histological examination. This method is very suitable for removing senile keratomas. To avoid re-forming deposits, cauterize the bottom of the wart at the end of the operation.
Low temperature destruction
The essence of this method is to freeze tumor tissue with liquid nitrogen. It cannot guarantee that 100% will not recur. Therefore, after removing the frozen warts, the uterus must be curettage-to remove the necrotic lump residue on the wound and try to remove the deep roots. The procedure is very effective, simple and cheap, and it can remove growths from any part of the body. Among the shortcomings of this method, experts pointed out that accidental exposure to liquid nitrogen may cause damage to healthy tissues.
Laser removal
This is one of the most modern, most comfortable and safest surgery, which can ensure that there will be no recurrence and unnecessary complications. During the treatment process, the laser beam evaporates the pathological tissue layer by layer, penetrating to a strictly specified depth. Precise instruments provide targeted actions to eliminate the possibility of damage to healthy skin. This is a bloodless process-laser treatment coagulates blood vessels and disinfects the surgical area at the same time.
The main advantages of this method are that there are no complications and recurrences, and the recovery period is short. If you are deciding how to remove warts on your fingers with the highest efficiency and painlessness, choose this method. The use of lasers ensures that there are no scars and prevents further spread of infection. The area where the wart is removed will leave a small scab that will fall off on its own after 7-10 days.
Radio wave surgery
This is the latest non-invasive surgery method. It is absolutely painless and fast-it only takes a few minutes to eliminate buildup. At the same time, it excludes the possibility of bleeding, infection and related complications. The energy of high-frequency radio waves instantly vaporizes the tissues and cauterizes the capillaries. In this case, the electrodes are not in direct contact with the skin surface. The impact is carried out at a strictly specified depth and will not damage adjacent healthy tissues. The use of a radio knife can avoid recurrence, because it does not allow the infection to be transmitted through blood.
Operation
When a large number of pathological tumors need to be removed, classical wart resection is used for surgical intervention. The growth was removed under local anesthesia, and cosmetic sutures were sutured on the wound. In the absence of complications, they will be removed after 10 days. The removed tissue must be sent for histological examination. In order to prevent recurrence during the recovery period, general antiviral and immunostimulatory treatments are carried out. Further prognosis and risk of recurrence will depend on the state of the immune system.
For any type of wart, the sooner you start treatment, the more likely it is to get a good result. Don't waste time and self-treatment. If there are any tumors, you should contact your dermatologist immediately and decide on the best treatment.