Common Warts

Definition

Common warts are Common warts are local growths in the skin that are caused by virus infection. These are noncancerous skin growths caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus causes a rapid growth of cells on the outer layer of your skin. There are 60 or more types of HPV. Some types tend to cause warts on your skin. Common warts usually occur on your hands, fingers or near your fingernails. Other types of HPV tend to cause warts in other places, such as on the soles of the feet, the genitals or the face and legs. Warts can itch or bleed. When warts are located in areas that are rubbed against clothing or bumped frequently, they can become irritated and the skin around them can become painful. Warts are not cancerous. Some warts will disappear without treatment, although it can sometimes take a couple years. Treated or not, warts that go away often reappear.

Causes

1. Warts are caused by a virus called HPV.
2. These spread from one person to another by contact. You can also get the wart virus by touching a towel or object used by someone who has the virus. Each person's immune system responds to warts.
3. Warts can spread from one area of your body to another, on adjacent fingers of an infected hand. Biting your nails can also cause warts to spread on your fingertips and around your nails.
4. You may cause the warts if you take a medication to suppress your immune system following a liver or kidney transplant operation or for treatment of some other disorder.

Symptoms

1. Common warts usually appear singly or in groups on the hands. Although they may grow on any part of the body.
2. They may vary in shape, size and color.
3. They usually are rough, gray-brown, dome-shaped growths.
4. A wart may appear as a bump with a rough surface, or it may be flat and smooth. Tiny blood vessels grow into the core of the wart to supply it with blood.
5. Common warts do not cause pain.
6. Common warts can be bothersome and can spread easily if they are in areas that are constantly irritated by rubbing or shaving.

Treatment

1. Warts don't require treatment, but you may want to treat them for cosmetic purposes and to prevent their spread.
2. Cryotherapy: Your doctor may use liquid nitrogen to destroy your wart by freezing it. This treatment isn't too painful, and is often effective.
3. Minor therapy: In this treatment the wart is cut away destroyed by using an electric needle. This is done in general anesthesia and is painful. It is an effective treatment and leaves a scar on body.
4. Laser surgery: Laser surgery can be expensive, and it may leave a scar. It's usually reserved for tough-to-treat warts.
5. Cantharone can be used particularly in children as it is more easily tolerated.
6. Substances such as DNCB involve painting the substance on the warts in order to develop an allergic reaction. This immune allergic reaction will be useful for destroying the wart.