Warts on the hands are predominantly benign neoplasms. The appearance of such growths is associated with increased activity of the human papillomavirus. The disease is very contagious and requires special complex therapy.
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, which causes warts to grow on the hands, occur:
- 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 suffice. For this reason, the most common occurrence is the appearance of warts on the hands, since the hands are the part of the body that comes into contact the most. In addition to this option, it is possible to note the possibility of transmitting the pathogen when using things and objects that the carrier of the disease has touched. Therefore, you can get infected from relatives at home. Sometimes the virus survives for a while on various wet surfaces, for example in bathrooms, locker rooms, public transport, etc.
- Self-infection. . . If a similar tumor has appeared on any part of the body, the risk of self-infection is possible. More specifically, the spread of the virus to healthy tissue. It happens when the growths are traumatized with fingernails or various objects. If the wound and hand hygiene is not carried out in time, an increase in the lesion can easily be caused.
- From mother to child. . . According to this option, the infection of the child occurs by the mother during childbirth.
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 neoplasms.
HPV is highly infectious. It is difficult to avoid infection. The disease affects men as well as women, adults and children. Most often, warts on the hands appear 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 carriage is observed, in which the warts never begin to develop. This is possible if the person's immunity is strong enough and does not allow the virus to multiply and activate.
Thus, HPV can wait for a long time for the right time - a significant weakening of the immune system.
Various types of mental trauma, improper work and rest regimen, drug addiction, unbalanced diet, observance of bad habits and unfavorable environmental conditions can affect the immune status in the direction of its decrease.
There are many predisposing factors for the appearance of such formations, consider the most obvious reasons why warts appear on the hands:
- Acute and chronic illnesses. . . Any disease and the lack of timely and competent treatment can significantly weaken the immune system. An increased risk of contracting HPV with the development of warts on the hands is linked to HIV, eczema, psoriasis, etc. The risk of the virus entering the epidermis increases with the presence of even the smallest cracks in the skin.
- Individual characteristics. . . Hyperhidrosis, that is, increased sweating on the palms is a provoking factor, since it promotes the formation of a peculiar pathological microflora and high humidity, which are favorable conditions for the reproduction of HPV.
- Non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. . . Explaining what causes warts on your hands in the absence of skin care is fairly straightforward. For example, dry skin can cause small cracks and irritations to form, through which the virus can safely get inside. It is worth noting that the infection can be avoided even after shaking the hand of an infected person, if it is commonplace to wash your hands on time.
With strong protective functions, the body can cope with the infection on its own. Ideally, recovery occurs in 2-3 months. According to statistics, this represents about 20% of all cases. Sometimes the process of recovery with the help of its own forces takes place within 2 years.
What do warts look like on your hands?
Many people, having found skin neoplasms in themselves, wonder how to cure warts on their hands. However, before you start treatment, you need to make sure that you have exactly the warts and for this you need to be able to distinguish these benign growths from others - corns, keratosis, lichen planus, and molluscum contagiosum.
The most important difference is that warts on the hands and other parts of the body have small blood vessels. This can be understood by accidentally injuring the growth or trying to remove it yourself - bleeding of varying intensity occurs.
The color spectrum of benign and harmless warts is varied. The growths can be flesh-colored, light yellow, light brown, gray-brown. Sometimes on their surface black dots can be observed - places of thrombosed vessels. At the same time, staining of neoplasms caused by human papillomavirus in bright brown and black is not typical. Any change in color should alert the person and prompt them to go to the hospital urgently to find out how to treat warts on their hands. Fears should also be caused by these growths which ignite, fester and begin to grow at an accelerated rate.
The size of the warts varies from 1 to 10 mm. They are isolated or formed in groups of several. With a very weak immune response, neoplastic tissue grows rapidly. Individual growths can grow together.
Any type of warts causes hyperkeratosis - excessive thickening of the top layer of the epidermis. That is why 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 place for this type of neoplasm is the hands. Can easily spread to the skin of the face. The color is flesh colored, yellow-brown or grayish. It is on such warts that one can often see blackheads. Growths are keratinized prominences above the skin. In shape, these warts on the hands look like a nodule or a dome-shaped papule. Their structure is dense, the surface is uneven with small villi, characterized by increased dryness of the tissues. The size is usually 2-7mm in diameter. Most often they do not cause pain.
- Superficial flat warts. . . Another name is young. The backs of the hands are often affected. Color - from pale yellow to brown. In appearance, they look like flat nodules of a round or irregular shape. The size is 3-4 mm. Practically does not protrude on the skin.
- Flat warts are deep. . . The second type of flat warts. Representatives of this species grow inwards. These are very specific training courses. Also have an irregular shape, ranging in color from pale yellow to brown. Not particularly protruding on the skin, but inside the outer surface of the build-up there is a slight depression towards the middle. The size of a single neoplasm is 3-4 mm. Most often, it is the deep warts of the hands that require treatment. they, as a rule, provide 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, discomfort in their appearance, since the hands are almost always in sight. For this reason, even in the absence of pain and dangerous changes in the structure of these growths, it is advisable to go to the hospital and find out how to remove warts on the hands.
Ways to treat warts on the hands
Determination of the causes of warts on the hands and treatment should be carried out by a qualified doctor, who has not only knowledge and experience, but also all kinds of tools for making a diagnosis. So, with the help of laboratory tests, the type of human papillomavirus, viral load is determined, the risks of developing unwanted consequences are assessed. Based on the results, complex therapy is prescribed, which includes not only the intake of drugs, but also the 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 drugs
A dermatologist deals with the treatment of warts on the hands. Its main task 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 warts on the hands are:
- Ointments for disinfection and virus control. . . Topical treatment can reduce the spread of infection through the skin, thereby reducing the risk of infection for others. Many drugs effectively suppress the activity of the virus, slowing the uncontrolled growth of neoplasms. They also contribute to the rapid healing of skin lesions, relieve inflammation.
- External means for the destruction of growths. . . The active substances have an aggressive effect on the growth cells, promote their destruction and cause the complete removal of warts on the hands and other parts of the body. Their use is desirable in the walls of a medical establishment in order to avoid undesirable consequences in the form of damage to healthy tissues. Separately, the spray can be noted 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 at present no specific drug has been found against the human papillomavirus. 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, helping the body to 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 based on inosine. The strong antiviral effect is complemented by a stimulating effect on the immune system. A comprehensive solution to the problem of HPV from different strains provides an increase in immune response and suppression of viral activity.
- Synthetic analogue of purine nucleoside. It is a direct-acting drug, its target is viruses, including HPV. The result of treatment is a visible decrease in viral activity.
- Inducer of the synthesis of endogenous interferons. The action is specific - it activates the body's defenses, triggering many 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 immunostimulant drug. An increase in the immune response leads to the fact that the virus loses its ability to integrate into healthy cells, while its population is drastically reduced.
If there is a strong weakening of health, the doctor will recommend taking vitamin and mineral complexes in order to restore the balance of nutrients and the performance of each structural unit of the body.
After comprehensive treatment of warts on the hands, reviews of patients indicate that the complex therapy has a strong effect, and the percentage of relapses is much lower than with the simple removal of epithelial tumors by instrumental methods without the useantiviral and immunostimulant drugs.
Removal of warts on the 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 injured. In addition, any mechanical effect on the growths can provoke bleeding, the addition of secondary infection, the development of the inflammatory process. For this reason, it is strongly recommended not to remove warts on your hands on your own.
There are a number of modern methods of instrumental removal of skin neoplasms. They are characterized by a high degree of efficiency. Most of them are considered minimally invasive. The painlessness during the procedures is ensured by local anesthesia.
The most popular methods for the instrumental destruction of warts on the hands are:
- Electrocoagulation. . . This method is ideal for removing common warts protruding from the skin, although it also helps in getting rid of deep epithelial neoplasms. A special device with a loop at the end synthesizes high-frequency current and simply cuts off the accumulation. No bleeding occurs during handling. The resulting crust leaves within 5-7 days. A scar after electrocoagulation only remains 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 carried out using a surgical scalpel. Healthy tissue is often excised during this procedure. After the procedure, cosmetic stitches are applied for 7-10 days. After the tissue has completely healed, scars may remain. The cost of surgery is calculated on an individual basis for each patient.
- Laser removal. . . By many criteria, it is considered the most effective method - a minimum of painful sensations, high safety, a precise effect on education. Using a laser, the wart cells on the hands are burnt off. The remaining impressions are tightened after 2-3 weeks.
- Cryodestruction. . . The deep freezing of the tissues, carried out in a few seconds, causes the death of the treated tissues. Under the influence of liquid nitrogen, the wart on the hands begins to slightly turn pale and thicken. The surrounding tissue swells slightly and may turn red. After that, the wart body turns into a bubble which can fill with fluid. In a week, it decreases and a crust remains in its place. The recovery time for the skin from this point is approximately 2 weeks.
Scabs, bubbles, wounds formed as a result of the procedures should never be torn off. This can lead to infection and a longer recovery time. In addition, due to such actions, unattractive scars are often left.
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. Also, different clinics may offer the same service at different prices, depending on the type of equipment used and the qualifications of the medical staff.
Treatment of warts on the hands with folk remedies
Many people refuse to see a doctor for various reasons and seek an answer to the question of how to get rid of warts on the hands at home.
In order to remove warts and combat 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 rather low, so you should not rely on it, refusing to take drugs and professionally removing skin growths.
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 - to maintain immunity and increase the antiviral activity of the body, normalize the balance of nutrients, as well as local antiseptic therapy.
Recipes of effective folk remedies:
- Herbal infusion. . . For cooking, take 25 g of birch leaves, juniper needles, dandelion root, plantain leaf, chicory root and 30 g each of nettle, agine and horsetail leaves. All the ingredients are poured with boiling water in a volume of 1 liter, boiled for 10 minutes on low heat, insisted for 10-12 hours. It should be taken four times a day, half a glass.
- Herbal infusion. . . To cook, take wormwood (10 g), birch buds (15 g), lemon balm (20 g), thyme (25 g) and juniper berries (30 g). All the ingredients are mixed. For brewing, take 40 g of the mixture of herbs, pour 400-500 ml of boiling water, infuse for 1-1, 5 hours, strain and return. The dose received is calculated for 1 day. Treatment for hand warts takes 2 to 5 weeks.
- Hand baths. . . The raw material is tea tree oil (3 drops) and lemon juice (from half of the fruit). The two ingredients are diluted in 2 cups of lukewarm water. Place 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 necessary 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 growths, have an antiseptic effect and accelerate the regeneration of healthy tissue.
- Applications for warts. . . Patchouli oil is applied to a bactericidal patch and fixed on the buildup. Such applications can last for several hours. To accelerate the therapeutic effect, the procedure should be carried out 2-3 times a day until the wart on the hands completely disappears.
- Absinthe infusion. . . Wormwood from dry crushed grass in a volume of 60 g is poured with 250 ml of boiling water. Insist 2. 5 hours in a thermos, strain. In the infusion, a gauze bandage is impregnated, and compresses are made twice a day.
Sometimes it is practiced to remove warts with celandine, onions, potato juice, lemon, Kalanchoe, acetic acid.
Real opinions of patients on the treatment of 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 treatment and methods of removing neoplasms before you go to the hospital. Reviews about the treatment of warts on the hands, left on the Internet forums, will help to pre-assess the effectiveness of a particular diet. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with a few stories of getting rid of the external manifestations of HPV:
- "My child has warts on his arms. Immediately, they simply smeared it with an antiseptic, but when they began to grow near the nails, pain appeared. We decided to remove it in the safest and most efficient way, as we were told - by radio waves. The son, in fact, did not complain of pain during the operation, there was no blood. The skin recovered very quickly. Then they also took an interferon drug. Now there is not a single wart. "
- "I had these growths somehow suddenly. They were very sick. At home I tried garlic and applied celandine but got no results. They had to remove them with a laser, the warts on my hands were deep so the scars were deep. It took about two weeks to heal, the scars are healing gradually, but I still drink antiviral pills and medicine for it. immunity. "
- "But folk remedies didn't help me, they just started a sore. I had to go to the surgeon, because a lot of this slime grew. It's good that even though the doctor didn't seriously disfigure my fingers, he carefully sutured them. It took about three weeks to recover. Now I take pills and make decoctions for skin regeneration. "
Treating warts on the hands is a responsible business. Prescribing medications and determining the best method of destruction should be done exclusively by a qualified healthcare practitioner to prevent the spread of disease and reduce the risk of infection to surrounding people.