Causes of the appearance and types of warts on the human body

photo of warts on the human body

Warts are not malignant formations of a viral nature, formed from cells grown from the epithelium and epidermis in the form of convex, rounded or elongated protuberances on the skin and mucous membranes. These abnormal growths affect adult men and women and children. They tend to spread, grow and can turn into cancerous tumors. Therefore, the pathology should not be allowed to run its course, but it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible.

What causes warts and their appearance

Why do warts appear and disappear on their own? The proven cause of the appearance of warts is the activity of the human papilloma virus (HPV), the cutaneous-subcutaneous processes being only a visible manifestation of viral aggression. That is why they are called papillomas.

The microorganisms penetrate the tissues by means of micro damages in the mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals, microtrauma in the skin and are transmitted between people in the following ways:

  • close contact (touching, kissing, shaking hands) with the virus carrier;
  • taking care of sick animals;
  • hygiene items, toys, books, clothes and other things;
  • intimacy, including anogenital contacts. This transmission route, typical of adults, leads to the appearance of verrucous processes in the groin, perineum, mouth and anus (with oral-anal sex);
  • shaving, peeling, nail treatment, cosmetic procedures;
  • autoinfection or autoinoculation.

Epithelial formations appear only when favorable conditions for the reproduction of microorganisms arise.

human papilloma virus as a cause of the appearance of warts

The latent period in which the virus does not manifest varies from 4 to 6 weeks to 5 to 6 months or more, which is associated with the strength of the infected person's immunity. It must be remembered that there may be no abnormal growths in the body of a human carrier, and it is very easy to become infected with it, although for a long time the external signs of pathology do not appear.

The provocative factors, under the influence of which warts can appear on the human body, are:

  • weakened immunity in the event of emotional overload and long-term illnesses;
  • fluctuations in hormonal levels characteristic of pregnancy, puberty, menopause;
  • genitourinary infections (chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis);
  • prolonged stress loads;
  • frequent damage, abrasions, cuts, scratches;
  • sweat, resulting in a moist and warm environment rich in bacteria on the skin;
  • lack of hygiene;
  • promiscuous sexual intercourse;
  • tight shoes made of synthetic material, causing sweating on the feet, skin maceration, creating ideal conditions for the growth of warts on the feet;
  • radiation exposure.

The group of people who are infected more often than others includes:

  • swimming fans in the pool, bathing visitors, saunas;
  • teenagers and adults attending gyms;
  • janitors, nurses, agricultural and poultry workers, food processing workers, on whom, when infected, warts grow on their hands and palms;
  • people working in risky workshops in the field of metallurgical, chemical and mining production.

More than 65 subspecies of the HPV causative agent have been identified, most of which have not yet been completely eliminated with medication.

Views

The type, location and prevalence of verrucous tumors determine age, the level of local and general immunity, the type of HPV, a person's living and working conditions.

There are the following main types of warts:

  1. Simple, common.Common warts are the most common epithelial lumps that cover the palms, hands, fingers, elbows, grow on the head, nose and eyelids, along the edges of the lips and sometimes in the mouth. These warts occur in men and women and in children. A common wart looks like a watery blister or a rough keratinized nodule with uneven skin-colored, pinkish-gray and brownish-yellow edges. The sizes of the individual nodules vary from the size of a sunflower seed to a pea. But the disease is characterized by the fact that warts can clump together, forming large growths. Among the various small and large warts, there is usually the most massive - "maternal". And if they get rid of it completely, then the rest of the consequences go away on their own.
  2. Periungeal. . . This is a type of simple wart that usually grows with neurosis in patients - most often children and adolescents - who bite their nails and fingertips. In this case, the elimination of disorders in the field of psychosomatics helps to prevent the recurrence of tumors, which is observed quite frequently even after excision or cauterization.
  3. filamentous wart on the skin
  4. Filiform warts (arachnoid).Fences of this type look like dark brown or yellowish pink protuberances of 1 to 4 mm, acquiring an elongated shape as they grow. In medicine, they are called acrocords. Filamentous warts appear in older people, but have recently been diagnosed in young patients as well. The acrocords are located in areas with thin skin without a layer of pronounced fat - on the neck, eyelids, under the arm, in the groin area, on the nipple and under the mammary glands. They can grow together, forming an epidermal formation up to 3 - 4 cm in size, which can cause itching and redness around the leg. A pronounced tendency towards self-infection and the spread of such skin disease proves that the filamentous formations are precisely viral warts, and the fact that their appearance in a patient often occurs in the context of pregnancy, obesity, menopause, indicates that the provoking factorof their development are hormonally unstable states. Pending warts also belong to filamentous formations, but differ in structure in that they first appear in the form of soft nodules, then elongate in length, transforming into elongated formations measuring 6-10 mm, hanging from one leg.
  5. Flat (young).Observed in 4 - 5% of patients affected by viral dermatological disease, aged between 10 and 25 years. They are presented with small skin elements (2 - 5 mm), slightly convex, smooth, yellowish, rounded in the outline or with irregular edges. The pathology is characterized by multiple skin rashes on the neck, face, back and chest, thighs and limbs. They can grow in the mouth, on the head of the male organ, on the neck of the uterus, on the rectum. On the tongue, juvenile warts appear rounded, slightly convex, with a slightly different color from the color of the tongue.
  6. plantar wart on the foot
  7. Plantar warts. . . This is a common type of subcutaneous wart diagnosed in adults. These growths develop in the areas of the soles of the feet, where the maximum load occurs when walking - 3-4 cm below the toes, on the heels (with additional tightening with tight shoes). The highly predisposed group includes women who prefer narrow high-heeled shoes, military men, travelers, people who spend a lot of time standing. They are in the form of very dense keratinized formations, fleshy or grayish in color, often with a depressed center. Among them, there is a central wart, with roots deeply embedded in the sole of the foot, which is characterized by severe pain when walking, sometimes even incapacity. Subcutaneous warts are similar in appearance to central calluses, but have a different structure. To distinguish these neoplasms, after vaporizing the foot, the loose stratum corneum is carefully removed: the surface of the corn is uneven, the color of the skin, and the body of the viral wart resembles a small cauliflower inflorescence with black dots (hemorrhages) extending inward to the depths. Excessive sweating of the feet promotes the propagation of growths and their fusion. In addition, doctors distinguish in a separate group a type of neoplasm such as the spine.
  8. Seborrheic.Seborrheic or senile warts, often denoted by another term - keratomas, refer to the rare types of growth that are not associated with the aggression of the virus. Typically, these neoplasms develop in people over 55-60 years of age. They look like grayish or dark brown plaques with an irregularly light outline, covered by a loose keratinized layer, slightly protruding above the skin. The size of the formations varies from 5 mm to several centimeters. Seborrheic warts on the body cover the skin in closed parts of the body - back, chest. They also appear and form on the face and neck, under the hair on the head.
  9. genital warts on the skin
  10. Genital warts.They are benign, pinkish, long and verrucous protuberances on a pedicle with lobulated structure. Uniting, they resemble a comb of a rooster, when rubbed, they acquire a bright color and quickly start to bleed if damaged. Genital warts develop in intimate locations, on the perineum, on the genital mucosa, in the groin and in the folds between the buttocks, as well as around the anus, which is why they are called anal, genital or anogenital warts. In children, these formations are found on the face, in the nose and mouth area. In most cases, genital genital warts appear due to the aggression of 11 types of papillomavirus. From the moment of infection to the appearance of the first lumps, it takes from 4 weeks to 3 - 6 months, which depends on the body's resistance and additional factors. Unpleasant-looking tumors in the female genitals occur much more frequently than in men, which is explained by the specifics of the anatomy and the peculiarities of the environment in the vaginal canal.
  11. Internal wartslocated in the thickness of the cervix and vaginal tissues, therefore, it is impossible to identify them during a routine examination. In this case, the gynecologist performs a colposcopy. Internal warts can be found on the walls of the vagina, at its entrance, in the area of the urethra and anus.
  12. Hyperkeratotic warts- they are not smooth, but keratinized warts, usually located on the male organ and scrotum. Among the genital warts, there are also flat formations, similar to slightly convex spots on the skin, which are very difficult to notice.

Warts in children

Although papillomatous viruses of various types affect the skin of people of all ages, warts are more common in children and growing boys and girls.

This is due to the lack of immune protection and greater susceptibility to infections, hormonal changes in adolescence, close communication with children in children's institutions, including sports complexes, frequent microtrauma of the palms and feet during games and physical education.

Especially noteworthy is the route of infection of infants affected by the virus when they pass through the birth canal of a mother already infected with HPV.

Normally, in children aged 5 to 16 years, there are flat and common bumps on the fingers, hands and palms, feet, knees and elbows bent.

Juvenile flat warts can disappear on their own when a teenager grows up and the local immune defense and general resistance of the body increases - around 16-18 years old.

Why are warts dangerous?

Although papillomas are small and unmarried, they do not receive attention if they are not injured by clothes, shoes and do not impair their appearance. And only when there are too many of them or are they actively growing does the patient start to worry. What kind of health threat can these epithelial protuberances carry?

The treatment of warts should not be delayed, as this can lead to unpredictable and serious consequences. And because papillomas are contagious, there is a high risk of transmitting the virus to young children, close relatives, colleagues, loved ones, a newborn baby who will be attacked by HPV during delivery if the mother is infected.

In the absence of proper diagnosis and therapy, the following complications are possible:

  1. The active spread and increase in the size of the neoplasms, which disfigures the appearance and leads to psychological trauma.
  2. Damage and infection of the papilloma itself and adjacent tissues with additional suppuration and development of abscess and other septic-purulent conditions.
  3. Destruction of nails by subungual growths, especially when pyogenic bacteria penetrate the cracks in the nail bed.
  4. Formation of giant warts (usually in the anogenital zone), which grow in the thickness of the dermis, destroying the adjacent tissues.
  5. Malignant degeneration. In the tissues of many papillomas located in permanent lesion sites (in the mouth, on the tongue, under the arm, on the genitals), alterations can occur leading to a cancerous transformation of the cells. Most of the time, warts are caused by the activity of medium and high risk HPV viruses (6, 18, 31, 33, 45). A major threat to health and life is genital warts, which can be precursors and cause the development of cervical cancer. A special danger of malignancy is characteristic of internal warts on female genitals. The presence of a high-risk virus in the body increases the likelihood of developing cancerous processes tenfold.
  6. Bleeding from the urethra, acute urinary retention, development of cystitis and inflammation of the ureters and kidneys (if there is growth of warts in the urethra).

You should be alert and see a dermatologist immediately if the wart bleeds, itches, hurts, changes shape or turns black, grows quickly, or if abnormal growths start to spread over the body, face or genitals.

Diagnosis

determining the type of wart on the skin

A specialist can diagnose a wart of viral origin and another already in the initial examination in 94-96% of patients based on external signs. But laboratory and instrumental studies are necessary for the internal location of education or to identify the likelihood of an oncological process. For a complete diagnosis, a blood test for HPV is performed.

Depending on the location of the accumulation, they apply:

  • a routine gynecological examination to examine the vaginal canal and cervix;
  • colposcopy (if you suspect internal warts in the tissues of the cervix and vagina);
  • Ultrasound - if necessary, to assess the germination depth of the plantar wart;
  • urethroscopy - prescribed if there is suspicion of the presence of formations in the external opening of the urethra;
  • anuscopy - when examining genital warts in the anal canal;
  • biopsy (sampling of tissue microfragment) for further examination of the biomaterial for histology and cytology, especially in the case of an atypical course of the disease and suspicion of a cancerous neoplasm.

In addition, warts must be distinguished from other pathologies that occur with apparently similar symptoms and manifestations, they are:

  • pigmented nevi, dermatofibromas;
  • contagious mollusk;
  • lichen planus;
  • papular collar of the penis;
  • verrucous tuberculosis of the skin;
  • corns, corneal syphilitic papules (with growths on the soles);
  • micropapillomatosis of the labia minora;
  • syphilitic warts;
  • cancers of the skin and mucous membranes (melanoma, carcinoma).

Based on the results of all the studies carried out, the dermatologist develops the treatment that is necessary for a given patient.

Treatment and removal of warts

The treatment of warts is possible through various techniques. In some cases, they are discarded with medication (using drugs and external agents).

professional ways to remove warts

To get rid of papillomas, it is necessary to actively use antiviral drugs and various methods of removal, which are selected by a specialist taking into account the type of wart, the degree of spread, the type of skin and the age of the patient. An important part of treatment is the use of medications that strengthen the immune system.

When infected with certain types of papillomavirus in a context of strong immunity, the patient experiences cases of self-healing.

If HPV is found with abundant growth, doctors prescribe an operation to remove it. There are the following methods for surgical removal of skin lesions:

  • cauterization with chemicals;
  • removal of warts with liquid nitrogen (freezing);
  • electrocoagulation;
  • surgical excision;
  • removal of warts by laser and radio waves.

All methods have their own indications and contraindications, which the doctor takes into account when choosing the removal technique.

There are absolute indications for mandatory removal of papillomas:

  • diagnosis of anogenital warts from any location;
  • location on the internal walls of the cervix, in the urethra;
  • suspected cancer process;
  • rapid growth in education;
  • constant bleeding, weeping surface;
  • active distribution throughout the body;
  • change in the shape, in the appearance of the tuberosity;
  • darkening or discoloration of the formation;
  • pain, itching, redness and inflammation;
  • location in places of constant injury, friction, pressure from clothes or shoes.

A mandatory part of therapy is the indication of medications that strengthen the body's defenses, including local immunity.

Among the main recommendations to prevent the appearance of epidermal bumps are:

  • limit close contact with strangers;
  • exclusion from touching the skin of people who have abnormal growths;
  • a strict approach to the choice of a sexual partner with the mandatory use of protective equipment and further processing of the mucous membranes of the external reproductive organs;
  • adherence to personal hygiene rules (especially for those at risk);
  • regular intake of vitamins and vitamin complexes to support and strengthen defenses.

Which doctor should I contact if I have verrucous lumps on the skin and mucous membranes? A dermatologist deals with common warts. The treatment of genital warts and human papillomavirus infection is carried out by a dermatologist venereologist. If there are doubts about the benign quality of the lesions, the patient should be examined by an oncologist.