A Simple Guide to Skin warts

A Simple Guide to Skin warts
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What are Skin warts?
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Skin warts are benign epithelial hyperplasia raised swellings on the skin caused by one of the human papilloma viruses.

They are infectious by direct contact or indirect contact through contaminated surfaces from one person to the other.

It is the one of the common skin condition.

It is never life threatening.

Who is affected by Skin warts?
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Skin warts is more common in :

1.children than in adults

2.contact with a person with warts

3.families with a patient having warts

What is the Cause of Skin warts?
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The human papilloma virus is the cause of skin warts.

There are 100 types of HPV which has been identified as causing skin or mucosal infections.

What are the types of Skin warts?
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Common wart:
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Common warts are benign swellings in the skin that are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

1.Periungual wart

Periungual warts are common warts around or under the fingernail and toenail.

2.Plantar warts

Plantar warts are found on the pressure areas of the foot.

The presure causes inward growth.

They can be single, seedling or mosaic.

3.Mosaic warts

Mosaic warts are plagues of closely set plantar warts

4.Plane warts

Plane warts are flat-topped smooth papules, light brown or skin flesh in color present on the face, legs, and hands often occuring in large numbers.

5.Filiform warts

Filiform warts appear as a single long narrow growth often on the eyelid or face

What are the Symptoms and signs of Skin warts?
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Skin warts can present as:

1.round or irregular raised swelling

2.Color may be like normal skin or light brown.

3.Surface is rough(may look like califlower) or smooth

4.Border is sharply demarcated

5.Size varies from 2-10mm in diameter.

5.They are usually found on the fingers, elbows, knees, feet, scalp and face.

How do you make the Diagnosis of Skin warts?
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1.Skin biopsy under local anesthesia

2.small lesions can be totally removed

3.larger ones are biopsied first and surgically removed later on


What are the complications of Skin warts?
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If skin warts are transmitted to the genital area, there is a risk of genital warts which can cause cervical cancer in women

What is the treatment of Skin warts?
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Many warts resolve spontaneously.

For those that persists or grow bigger, other treatments may be used:

1.Surgery:

Skin warts are removed by surgical excision.

2.Chemical treatment:

a.local therapy with Salicylic-acid preparations which dissolves the protein forming most of both the wart and the thick layer of dead skin above it.

b. 5-fluorouracil(a chemotherapy agent)

3.Cautery:

Electrotherapy by cautery of the warts kills the virus and destroy the tisues underneath which allow them to grow.

4.Cryosurgery:

Aerosol wart treatments freeze warts at a temperature of minus 57 C.

This can kill the virus.

Dermatologists use liquid nitrogen which is considerably colderminus 196 C.

What is the prognosis of Skin warts?
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Prognosis of majority of cases is good if there is complete removal.

Recurrences are common

What are the preventive measures for Skin warts?
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Avoid direct or indirect contact through contaminated surfaces with people having warts