|
Warts
What
is a wart?
A Wart is a small hormy tumour from the
skin. It is an overgrowth of skin cells, generally caused by infection
with a common virus. Of course, warts are known to be benign although
their presence often causes symptoms primarily by creating pressure
points, or cosmetic problems.
Warts can take a wide variety of
appearances: tiny flesh colored lumps, sometimes with a dark core, thin
and frond-like often on the neck and face, flat and soft, or hard and
pebble- like on the soles of the feet. In warm moist areas such as the
genitalia, they may grow exuberantly, causing large accumulations
achieving impressive sizes.
return to top
Causes
Warts are known to have a viral cause
and are usually spread by person-to-person contact. However, the
development of warts will depend upon the individual's immune response to
the virus. This is poorly understood even today because although people
with known immune deficiencies are more susceptible to warts, most
sufferers are immunologically normal.
It is estimated that about 25% of
cases resolve spontaneously within 6 months, 50% within a year, and 66%
within 2 years. Other new warts may arise in the meantime, and teenagers
(15-20 years old) are considered most vulnerable.
return to top
Conventional
Medical Treatments
Despite the abundant folklore
surrounding warts, treatment efforts should be restrained, since serious
morbidity is rare, recurrences common, and complications likely if
treatment is more vigorous than justified. Location largely guides
treatment. Each of the following conventional treatments are considered to
be about 80% effective.
Salicylic/lactic acid paste: this
destroys the skin cells and may be applied at home on a daily basis. the
destroyed layers of skin are then regularly scraped away. Several weeks
treatment is often necessary, but effectiveness is comparable to other
methods.
Liquid nitrogen: This is only
applied by a medical doctor. Liquid nitrogen freezes the wart, which then
forms a scab and drops off. Repeat applications are sometimes needed.
Podophyllin: This is a topical cell
poison, commonly used for venereal warts. It causes irritation, but it is
considered to be effective.
Surgery: Surgical procedures will
remove the wart(s) and is commonly advised for the removal of larger
warts. The main concern about surgery is that it can leave scarring and,
like other medical treatments, it does not effect the cause of the
condition and re-occurrences are common.
Surgery to warts on the sole of the
foot (plantar warts) may leave scar tissue that causes as much pressure or
pain as the original wart. In such cases the symptoms will be permanent
from the scar but often temporary if the wart is left alone. It is for
this reason that no treatment at all is often advised for plantar warts.
When treatment is necessary, acid paste is often the first treatment used
and surgery and other methods should be done only by experienced
physicians.
return to top
This page was last updated on 05 December 2006 17:15:28
|
