Warts on the hands are predominantly benign neoplasms. The appearance of such growths is associated with an increased activity of the human papillomavirus. The disease is highly contagious and requires special complex therapy.
Causes of the appearance of warts on the hands
Warts are an unpleasant external manifestation of an infectious skin disease. The culprit is the human papillomavirus.
How HPV infection occurs, which causes warts to grow 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 suffice. For this reason, the most common event is the occurrence of warts on the hands, because the hands are the most touching part of the body. 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 with relatives at home. Sometimes the virus survives for some time on various wet surfaces, for example, in bathrooms, changing rooms, public transport, etc.
- self-infection. . . If a similar neoplasm has appeared on one part of the body, the risk of self-infection is possible. More precisely, the spread of the virus to healthy tissues. This happens when the growths are traumatized with nails or various objects. If the hygiene of the wound and hands is not done in a timely manner, it can easily provoke an increase in the injury.
- From mother to child. . . In accordance with this option, the infection of the baby occurs from 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 both men and 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 transport is observed, in which 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 activate.
Therefore, HPV can wait a long time for the right moment - a significant weakening of the immune system.
Various types of mental trauma, improper work and rest regime, drug abuse, unbalanced diet, adherence to bad habits and unfavorable environmental conditions can affect the immune state in the direction of its decrease.
The predisposing factors for the appearance of these formations are numerous, consider the most obvious reasons why warts on the hands appear:
- Acute and chronic diseases. . . Any disease and lack of timely and competent care can significantly weaken the immune system. An increased risk of contracting HPV with developing warts on the hands is with HIV, eczema, psoriasis, etc. The risk of virus penetration into 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, because it promotes the formation of a special pathological microflora and high humidity, which are favorable conditions for the reproduction of HPV.
- Failure to comply with the rules of personal hygiene. . . Explaining what causes warts on the hands in the absence of skin care is quite simple. For example, dry skin can provoke the formation of small cracks and irritation, through which the virus can safely penetrate inside. It is noteworthy that infection can be prevented even after shaking hands with an infected person, if it is trivial to wash hands in a timely manner.
With strong protective functions, the body can cope with the infection on its own. At best, recovery occurs in 2-3 months. According to statistics, this is about 20% of all cases. Sometimes the recovery process with the help of one's own strength occurs 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 the hands. However, before starting treatment, you should make sure that you have exactly warts and for this you must be able to distinguish these benign growths from others: corns, keratoses, 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 when trying to remove it yourself - bleeding of varying intensity occurs.
The color spectrum of benign and safe warts is diverse. Growths can be flesh-colored, light yellow, light brown, gray-brown. Sometimes black dots can be observed on their surface - places of thrombosed vessels. At the same time, the staining of neoplasms caused by the human papillomavirus in bright brown, black is not typical. Any color change should alert the person and require an urgent trip to the hospital to determine how to treat warts on the hands. Fears should also be caused by those growths that become inflamed, rot and start growing at an accelerated rate.
The size of the warts varies from 1 to 10 mm. They are single or formed in groups of several. With a very weak immune response, neoplastic tissues grow rapidly. Individual growths can grow together with each other.
Any type of wart causes hyperkeratosis - excessive thickening of the upper layer of the epidermis. That is why such growths can be easily perceived, they clearly stand out against the background of healthy cells with a more rough and 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. It can easily spread to the skin on 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 above the skin. In shape, such warts on the hands resemble a domed lump or papule. Their structure is dense, the surface is uneven with small villi, characterized by increased dryness of the tissues. The size is usually 2 to 7mm in diameter. Most often they do not cause pain.
- Superficial flat warts. . . Another name is juvenile. The back of the hands is often affected. Color: pale yellow to brown. In appearance, they resemble flat nodules of a round or irregular shape. The size is 3-4mm. They practically do not protrude on the skin.
- Flat warts are deep. . . The second type of flat warts. Representatives of this species grow inward. They are very specific formations. They also have an irregular shape, pale yellow to brown in color. Not particularly protruding on the skin, but inside the external surface of the accumulation 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, as a rule, give rather 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 for their appearance, because the hands are almost always in sight. For this reason, 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 warts on the hands.
Ways to treat hand warts
Determination of the causes of warts on the hands and treatment should be carried out by a qualified doctor, who has at his disposal not only knowledge and experience, but also all kinds of tools for making a diagnosis. Then, with the help of laboratory tests, the type of human papillomavirus, viral load is determined, the risks of developing adverse 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 medicines
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 hand warts are:
- Ointments to disinfect and fight the virus. . . 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. . . Active substances have an aggressive effect on growth cells, promote their destruction and provoke the complete elimination of warts on the hands and other parts of the body. Their use is desirable within the walls of a medical institution in order to avoid undesirable consequences in the form of injury to healthy tissues. Separately, we can note the spray with dimethyl ether and propane. The drug acts on the principle of cryodestruction and effectively removes epithelial tumors caused by HPV.
It should be noted that at the moment no specific drug has been found against human papillomavirus. However, there are medications 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 the drugs intended for oral administration. They actively stimulate the immune system, helping the body to produce special immune cells, and are also capable of having a visible antiviral effect.
Popular drugs with antiviral and immunostimulating activity used to treat HPV in the presence of warts on the hands:
- A preparation with inosine. The strong antiviral effect is complemented by a stimulating effect on the immune system. A complete solution to the problem of HPV of different strains provides an increase in the immune response and suppression of viral activity.
- Synthetic analogue of the 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.
- Inducer of the synthesis of endogenous interferons. The action is specific: it activates the body's defenses, triggering numerous immune processes. It accelerates the production of interferon.
- Prepared with meglumine acridone acetate. Increases the body's resistance to the effects of HPV. It reduces the viral load and stops the growth of warts on the hands.
- Immunostimulating folk medicine. 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 sharp weakening of health, the doctor will recommend taking vitamin and mineral complexes to restore the balance of nutrients and the performance of each structural unit of the body.
After comprehensive treatment of warts on the hands, patient reviews indicate that complex therapy has a great effect, and the rate of relapses is much lower than simply removing epithelial tumors by instrumental methods without the use of antiviral and immunostimulating drugs.
Removal of warts on the hands by instrumental methods
Removal of the affected epithelium is a mandatory procedure if the warts cause discomfort, grow rapidly and change structure or are often injured. In addition, any mechanical effects on the growths can provoke bleeding, the addition of a secondary infection, the development of the inflammatory process. For this reason, it is strongly not recommended to remove warts on the hands yourself.
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 absence of pain 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 great for removing vulgar warts that protrude above the skin level, although it also helps get rid of deep epithelial neoplasms. A special device with a ring at the end synthesizes the high-frequency current and simply stops the accumulation. No bleeding occurs during manipulation. The resulting crust leaves within 5-7 days. A 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 done using a surgical scalpel. Healthy tissue is often removed during this procedure. After the procedure, cosmetic stitches are applied for 7-10 days. After the tissues have completely healed, scars may remain. The cost of the surgery is calculated on an individual basis for each patient.
- Laser removal. . . According to many criteria, it is considered the most successful method - a minimum of painful sensations, high confidence, an accurate effect on education. With the help of a laser, the wart cells on the hands are burned. The remaining indentations are tightened after 2-3 weeks.
- cryodestruction. . . 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 turn slightly pale and thicken. The fabric around it swells slightly and may turn red. Subsequently, the body of the wart turns into a blister that can fill with liquid. Within a week, it decreases, and a scab remains in its place. The recovery time of the skin from this moment is about 2 weeks.
Scabs, blisters, wounds formed as a result of the procedures should never be torn. This can lead to infections and longer recovery times. 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. In addition, 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 visit a doctor for various reasons and seek an answer to the question of how to get rid of warts on the hands at home.
To get rid of warts and fight the human papillomavirus, traditional healers use a lot of improvised means, food and plants. However, it is necessary to understand that the effectiveness of traditional medicine in the treatment of HPV is quite weak, 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 and local antiseptic treatment.
Recipes for effective folk remedies:
- Infusion of herbs. . . For cooking, take 25g of birch leaves, juniper needles, dandelion root, plantain leaf, chicory root and 30g each of nettle leaves, agine grass and horsetail grass. All 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. . . For cooking, take wormwood herb (10g), birch sprouts (15g), lemon balm herb (20g), thyme herb (25g) and juniper berries (30g ). All the ingredients are mixed. For the preparation, take 40 g of the herbal mixture, pour 400-500 ml of boiling water, leave to infuse for 1-1, 5 hours, filter and bring inside. The received dose is calculated for 1 day. Hand warts treatment lasts 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 must be removed. The tool has an antiviral effect, softens the skin, accelerates tissue regeneration and fights pathogens.
- Lemon and pine blend 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 tissues.
- Applications for warts. . . Patchouli oil is applied to a bactericidal patch and attached over the buildup. Such applications can last 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.
- Infusion of absinthe. . . 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 soaked and compresses are made twice a day.
Sometimes it is practiced to remove warts with celandine, onions, potato juice, lemon, Kalanchoe, acetic acid.
Reviews of real 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 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 preliminarily assess the effectiveness of a particular scheme. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with some stories about the elimination of external manifestations of HPV:
- "My son has warts on his arms. Immediately they just smeared it with an antiseptic, but when they started growing near the nails, the pain appeared. We decided to remove it as safely and effectively as we were told, by waves. The son, in fact, did not complain of pain during the procedure, there was no blood. The skin recovered very quickly. Then they also took an interferon-based 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 I didn't get any 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 gradually healing, but I still drink antiviral pills and an immunity drug. "
- "But folk remedies did not help me, they just started a sore. I had to go to the surgeon, because a lot of this mud has grown. It is good that even though the doctor did not severely 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 drugs and determining the best method of destruction should only be carried out by a qualified doctor in order to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce the risk of infection of surrounding people.