Tuesday, April 27, 2010

What Are the Different Types of Wart Treatments?


Warts are skin developments caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than sixty varieties of HPV, a few of which tend to cause warts on the skin. HPV stimulates rapid growth of cells on the skin's outer layer. In most cases, basic warts seem on the fingers, near the fingernails, or on the hands. Certain types of HPV can also cause warts to appear in the genital area.

Types of warts

Plantar warts: This type of wart generally seems as flesh-colored or light brown lumps that are flecked with small clotted blood vessels that appear as tiny black dots. Plantar warts (verrucas) appear on the soles of the feet.

Genital warts: Genital warts can come out in the pubic area, on the genitals, in the anus, and/or in the vagina. They look like little flesh-colored, pink or red growths in or around the sex organs. The warts may look same to the little parts of a cauliflower or they may be very small and difficult to see. They often appear in clusters of 3 or 4, and may develop and spread rapidly. They're not generally painful, although they may sometimes cause mild pain, bleeding and itching. HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United Kingdom and certain forms of the virus can cause cervical cancer.

Flat warts: This type of wart is common in teens and kids than in grownups. Flat warts are smoother and smaller than other warts and they generally happen on the face. Flat warts also can appear on the legs, especially among females.

Warts are caused through direct contact with HPV, which is contagious. HPV may spread by person-to-person contact or through direct contact with an object used by a person with the virus. The virus that causes warts also can spread to other parts of the body of the person with warts.

How are warts treated?

In most cases, warts found on the skin are harmless and can disappear without treatment. However, genital warts should be viewed by a doctor.

Sometimes, warts may reoccur later treatment and more than one type of treatment may be essential. Although practitioners attempt to clear warts quickly, most processes require multiple treatments. Treatments may include:

Freezing (cryotherapy):

A doctor will use liquid nitrogen to freeze a wart. A blister forms close to the wart and the dead tissue falls off within about a week.

Salicylic acid: The acid "burns" off the top layer of the wart. Every few days the dead tissue can be rubbed away with emery paper, so the wart is removed bit by bit.

Covering with duct tape: A new study found that covering a wart with strong adhesive tape is likely to clear the wart within a month or 2 (duct tape was used in the study.) In this study, about 7 in 10 warts had cleared within two months utilizing duct tape. It may be worth a try as it is painless. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of this treatment.

Minor operation: When warts can't be removed by additional therapies, operation may be wont to cut away the wart. The base of the wart will be destroyed using an electric needle or by cryosurgery (deep freezing).

Laser surgery: This process uses an intense beam of light (laser) to burn and destroy wart tissue. It may be used for warts that are difficult to treat.

Technically called condiloma acuminata, genital warts are small growths. They can be very little or can appear in big masses in the following area:

• Inside or outside the vagina
• On the opening of the uterus
• Tip of the penis
• Shaft of the penis
• Scrotum
• Around the anus
• Inner the mouth or throat people carrying out oral sex

The virus gains entering into the skin and mucus layer thru narrow, microscopic cuts on the genital area which in turn may form as a result of sexual activities. The HPV has a long incubation period of time and the genital warts don't come out immediately later entry of virus. The dormancy period may be months or even years after which the first wart makes it is appearance.

Seomul Evans - About the Author: