Warts on the hands are neoplasms that are predominantly benign. The appearance of such growths is associated with increased activity of the human papillomavirus. The disease is highly contagious and requires particularly complex treatment.
Causes of the appearance of warts on the hands
Warts are an unpleasant external manifestation of an infectious disease of the skin. The culprit is the human papillomavirus.
How does HPV infection occur, which causes the growth of warts on the hands:
- Contact method. . . Most often, infection with this pathogenic microorganism occurs through direct contact between the skin of a healthy person and an infected person. A simple handshake may be enough. Because of this, the most common occurrence is the occurrence of warts on the hands because the hands are the most contacting part of the body. In addition to this possibility, it is possible to notice the possibility of transmitting the pathogen when using things and objects that the carrier of the disease has touched. Therefore, you can be infected by relatives at home. Sometimes the virus survives for some time on various wet surfaces, for example in bathrooms, changing rooms, public transport, etc.
- Autoinfection. . . If a similar neoplasm has appeared on a part of the body, the risk of self-infection is possible. More precisely, the spread of the virus to healthy tissue. This happens when the growths are traumatized with nails or various objects. If the hygiene of the wound and the hands are not performed in a timely manner, an increase in the lesion can be easily induced.
- From mother to child. . . In accordance with this possibility, the infection of the baby occurs from the mother during birth.
It should be noted that sexual contact with a carrier of the virus is rarely the cause of the appearance of warts on the hands. This method of transmission often causes another type of benign neoplasm.
HPV is highly contagious. It is difficult to avoid infection. The disease affects both men and women, both adults and children. Most often, warts on the hands occur in children and adolescents.
From the moment the virus enters the body until the first external manifestations appear, it can take from 1 to 6 months. Although in some cases only transport is observed where the warts never begin to grow. This is possible if the person's immunity is strong enough and does not allow the virus to multiply and be activated.
Thus, HPV can wait a long time for the right moment - a significant weakening of the immune system.
Various forms of mental trauma, improper work and rest regimes, substance abuse, unbalanced diet, adherence to bad habits and adverse environmental conditions can affect the immune status towards its decline.
The predisposing factors for the appearance of these formations are numerous, consider the most obvious reasons why warts appear on the hands:
- Acute and chronic diseases. . . Any disease and lack of timely and competent treatment can significantly weaken the immune system. An increased risk of getting HPV with the development of warts on the hands is with HIV, eczema, psoriasis, etc. The risk of viral penetration into the epidermis increases with the presence of even the smallest cracks in the skin.
- Individual characteristics. . . Hyperhidrosis, i. e. increased sweating on the palms is a provocative factor, promotes the formation of a special pathological microflora and high humidity, which are favorable conditions for reproduction of HPV.
- Failure to comply with rules of personal hygiene. . . Explaining what causes warts on your hands in the absence of skin care is pretty simple. For example, dry skin can cause the formation of small cracks and irritation through which the virus can safely penetrate. It is noteworthy that infection can be prevented even after shaking hands with an infected person if it is banal to wash your hands in a timely manner.
With strong protective functions, the body can cope with the infection on its own. At best, recovery occurs after 2-3 months. According to statistics, it is about 20% of all cases. Sometimes the recovery process takes place using its own strength within 2 years.
What do warts on your hands look like?
Many people who have found skin neoplasms in themselves are wondering how to cure warts on their hands. Before starting treatment, however, you should make sure that you have the warts, and for this you must be able to distinguish these benign growths from others - corns, keratosis, lichen planus and molluscum contagiosum.
The main difference is that warts on the hands and other parts of the body have small blood vessels. This can be understood by accidentally damaging the growth, or when you yourself try to remove it - bleeding of varying intensity occurs.
The color spectrum of benign and safe warts is varied. The outgrowths can be flesh-colored, light yellow, light brown, gray-brown. Sometimes black dots can be observed on their surface - places with thrombosed vessels. At the same time, staining of neoplasms caused by the human papillomavirus in light brown, black is not typical. Any color change should alert the person and ask for an urgent trip to the hospital to determine how to treat warts on the hands. Fear should also be caused by the growths that become inflamed, attach and begin to grow at an accelerated rate.
The size of warts varies from 1 to 10 mm. They are solitary or formed into groups of several. With a very weak immune response, neoplasm tissue grows rapidly. Individual growths can grow together.
Any type of wart causes hyperkeratosis - excessive thickening of the upper layer of the epidermis. Therefore, such growths can be easily felt; they stand out clearly against the background of healthy cells with a coarser and more solid structure.
Most often, two types of warts appear on the hands:
- Common warts. . . They are also called vulgar. A favorite spot for this type of neoplasm is the hands. Can be easily spread to the skin of the face. The color is flesh-colored, yellow-brown or grayish. It is on such warts that blackheads can often be seen. The growths are keratinized eminences over the skin. In shape, such warts on the hands look like a knot or a domed papule. Their structure is dense, the surface is uneven with small villi, characterized by increased tissue dryness. The size is usually 2 to 7 mm in diameter. Most often, they do not cause pain.
- Superficial flat warts. . . Another name is youthful. The backs of the hands are often affected. Color - from pale yellow to brown. In appearance they resemble flat knots with a round or irregular shape. The size is 3-4 mm. Do not protrude practically beyond the skin.
- Flat warts are deep. . . The second type of flat warts. Representatives of this species grow inward. They are very specific formations. Also has an irregular shape, color from pale yellow to brown. Not very protruding above the skin, but within the outer surface of the structure there is a slight depression towards the center. The size of a single neoplasm is 3-4 mm. Most often, it is the deep warts on the hands that require treatment. they usually deliver quite strong painful sensations.
Warts are a source of infection. At the same time, they bring great physical discomfort to their owner and form complexes in him, embarrassment over their appearance because hands are almost always in sight. Because of this, even without the presence of pain and dangerous changes in the structure of such growths, it is advisable to go to the hospital and find out how to remove the warts on the hands.
Ways to treat hand warts
Determining the causes of warts on hands and treatment should be performed by a qualified physician who has at his disposal not only knowledge and experience, but also all kinds of tools to make a diagnosis. So using laboratory tests to determine the type of human papillomavirus, viral load, the risk of developing negative consequences is assessed. Based on the results, complex therapy is prescribed, which includes not only taking medication but also instrumental removal of neoplasms, which are dangerous. Self-medication can very often lead to a lack of therapeutic effect or the development of complications.
Treatment of warts on the hands with medication
A dermatologist deals with the treatment of warts on the hands. Its main function is to suppress the activity of the virus and prevent the spread of infection. For this, antiviral drugs are used both for external use and for oral administration.
The most popular remedies used to treat hand warts are:
- Ointments for disinfection and control of the virus. . . Topical treatment can reduce the spread of infection through the skin and thereby reduce the risk of infection to others. Many drugs effectively suppress the activity of the virus and slow down the uncontrolled growth of neoplasms. They also contribute to rapid healing of skin lesions, relieve inflammation.
- External resources for the destruction of plants. . . Active substances have an aggressive effect on growth cells, promote their destruction and provoke complete elimination of warts on hands and other parts of the body. Their use is desirable within the walls of a medical institution to avoid unwanted consequences in the form of damage to healthy tissue. Separately, we can note the spray with dimethyl ether and propane. The drug works on the principle of cryodestruction and effectively removes epithelial tumors caused by HPV.
It should be noted that no specific drug against the human papillomavirus has been found at present. However, there are drugs that can reduce viral activity and stop the growth of warts on the hands, feet and other parts of the body. So in a separate column it is worth highlighting drugs intended for oral administration. They actively stimulate the immune system, help the body produce special immune cells and are also able to have a visible antiviral effect.
Popular drugs with antiviral and immunostimulatory activity used to treat HPV in the presence of warts on the hands:
- A preparation with inosine. The strong antiviral effect is supplemented by a stimulating effect on the immune system. A comprehensive solution to the problem of HPV from different strains provides an increase in the immune response and suppression of viral activity.
- Synthetic analog of purine nucleoside. This is a direct-acting drug, its target is viruses, including HPV. The result of the treatment is a visible decrease in viral activity.
- Inductor for the synthesis of endogenous interferons. The action is specific - it activates the body's defenses and triggers several immune processes. Accelerates the production of interferon.
- Preparation with meglumine acridone acetate. Increases the body's resistance to the effects of HPV. Reduces viral load and stops the growth of warts on the hands.
- Popular immunostimulatory medication. An increase in the immune response leads to the virus losing its ability to integrate into healthy cells, while its population is significantly reduced.
If there is a strong deterioration in health, the doctor will recommend taking vitamin and mineral complexes to restore the balance of nutrients and performance for each structural unit in the body.
After extensive treatment of warts on the hands, patient reviews indicate that complex therapy has a great effect and the percentage of recurrence is much lower than with simple removal of epithelial tumors by instrumental methods without the use of antiviral and immunostimulatory drugs.
Removal of warts on hands with instrumental methods
Removal of the affected epithelium is a mandatory procedure if the warts cause discomfort, grow rapidly and change their structure or are often damaged. In addition, any mechanical effect on the growths can cause bleeding, the addition of a secondary infection, the development of the inflammatory process. Because of this, removing warts on the hands is strongly discouraged even.
There are a number of modern methods for instrumental removal of skin neoplasms. They are characterized by a high degree of efficiency. Most of them are considered minimally invasive. Pain relief during the procedures is ensured by local anesthesia.
The most popular methods of instrumental destruction of warts on the hands are:
- Electrocoagulation. . . This method is great for removing vulgar warts that protrude beyond the skin level, although it also helps get rid of deep epithelial neoplasms. A special device with a loop at the end synthesizes high-frequency current and simply interrupts the build-up. No bleeding occurs during the manipulation. The resulting crust leaves within 5-7 days. One scar after electrocoagulation remains only after deep exposure.
- Surgical excision. . . In most cases, it is prescribed if it is necessary to take a sample of the growth for analysis and in the presence of a large lesion. Removal of warts on the hands is performed using a surgical scalpel. Healthy tissue is often excised during this procedure. After the procedure, cosmetic nails are applied for 7-10 days. After the tissues are completely healed, scars can remain. The cost of the surgery is calculated individually for each patient.
- Laser removal. . . According to many criteria, it is considered the most successful method - a minimum of painful sensations, high security, an accurate effect on education. Using a laser, the wart cells on the hands are burned out. The remaining depressions are tightened after 2-3 weeks.
- Cryodestruction. . . Deep freezing of tissues performed in a matter of seconds causes the death of the treated tissue. Under the influence of liquid nitrogen, the wart on the hands begins to become slightly pale and thicker. The tissue around it swells easily and may turn red. Then the body of the wart is transformed into a bubble that can be filled with fluid. Within a week it subsides and a crust remains in place. The skin recovery time from this moment is about 2 weeks.
Crusts, bubbles, wounds formed as a result of the procedures should never be torn off. This can lead to infection and longer recovery time. Due to such actions often leave unattractive scars.
The cost of each procedure depends on the location of the warts on the hands, the number of growths and the total area of the lesion. In addition, different clinics may offer the same service at different prices, depending on the type of equipment used and the qualifications of medical staff.
Treatment of warts on the hands with folk medicine
Many people refuse to visit a doctor for various reasons and are looking for an answer to the question of how to get rid of warts on their hands at home.
To eliminate warts and fight the human papillomavirus, traditional healers use a lot of improvised means, food and plants. However, you should understand that the effectiveness of traditional medicine in the treatment of HPV is quite weak, so you should not trust it, refuse to take medicine and professional removal of skin growth.
In some cases, the attending physician may recommend supplementing traditional methods of treating warts on the hands with folk remedies. Among the tasks are the same - maintaining immunity and increasing the body's antiviral activity, normalizing the balance of nutrients and local antiseptic treatment.
Recipes for effective folk medicine:
- Herbal infusion. . . For cooking, take 25 g of birch leaves, juniper needles, dandelion root, plantain leaf, chicory root and each 30 g of nettle leaves, agin grass and horseradish grass. All ingredients are poured with boiling water in a volume of 1 liter, boil for 10 minutes over low heat, insisted for 10-12 hours. It should be taken four times a day, half a glass.
- Infusion with herbs. . . For cooking, take wormwood (10 g), birch buds (15 g), lemon balm herb (20 g), thyme (25 g) and juniper berries (30 g). All ingredients are mixed. For brewing, take 40 g of the herbal mixture, pour 400-500 ml of boiling water, infuse for 1-1, 5 hours, filter and take inside. The dose received is for 1 day. Treatment for hand warts is 2 to 5 weeks.
- Hand baths. . . The starting material is tea tree oil (3 drops) and lemon juice (from half of the fruit). Both ingredients are diluted in 2 cups of warm water. Put in the palm mixture and hold for 20 minutes. After the procedure, the softened wart particles on the hands should be removed. The tool has an antiviral effect, softens the skin, accelerates tissue regeneration and fights pathogens.
- Lemon-pine mixture for warts. . . It is required to mix lemon and pine oil in equal proportions. The resulting mixture is applied to the affected areas 3-5 times a day to soften the growths, have an antiseptic effect and speed up the regeneration of healthy tissues.
- Applications for warts. . . Patchou oil is applied to a bactericidal patch and attached over the structure. Such applications can last for several hours. To speed up the therapeutic effect, the procedure should be performed 2-3 times every day until the wart on the hands disappears completely.
- Wormwood infusion. . . Crushed dry grass wormwood in a volume of 60 g is poured with 250 ml of boiling water. Insist 2, 5 hours in a thermos, filter. In the infusion, a gauze bandage is impregnated and compresses are made twice a day.
Sometimes it is practiced to remove warts with celandine, onion, potato juice, lemon, Kalanchoe, acetic acid.
Real patient reviews about treating warts on the hands
The choice of treatment methods is the prerogative of doctors, but it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the possible options for HPV therapy and methods of removing neoplasms before going to the hospital. Feedback on the treatment of warts on the hands, left on Internet forums, will help to tentatively assess the effectiveness of a particular scheme. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with some stories about getting rid of the external manifestations of HPV:
- "My child has warts on his arms. Immediately they simply lubricated it with an antiseptic, but when they started growing near the nails, pain appeared. We decided to remove it in the safest and most effective way that we were told -"of radio waves. The son did not actually complain of pain during the procedure, there was no blood. The skin recovered very quickly. Then they also took a drug based on interferon. Now there is not a single wart. "
- "I got these growths somehow suddenly. They were very sick. At home I tried garlic and applied celandine but got no result. They had to remove them with laser, the warts on my hands were deep so the scars were deep. It took about two weeks to heal, the scars are gradually healing, but I am still taking antiviral pills and a medicine for immunity. "
- "But folk medicine did not help me. three weeks to recover. Now I take pills and make decoctions for skin regeneration. "
Treating warts on the hands is a responsible business. Prescribing drugs and determining the best method of destruction should be performed exclusively by a qualified physician to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce the risk of infection by the surrounding people.