Wart
From Free net encyclopedia
- For the Nintendo character, see Wart (Nintendo).
Image:Wart.jpg A wart is a generally small, rough, cauliflower-like growth, typically on hands and feet. Warts are common, and are caused by a viral infection, specifically by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Some scientists believe they are also caused by stress. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can recur. A few Papilloma viruses are known to cause cancer. Certain types of warts, depending on location and cause, can be contagious from region to region, but are not transferrable between different species.
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Treatment
Prescription
Treatments that may be prescribed by a medical professional include:
- Aldara™[1] (Imiquimod) topical cream, that not only clears up the wart but helps the immune system fight the virus without the pain of having the wart burned, frozen or cut off. It is indicated for genital warts but has been prescribed effectively to clear up other kinds of warts as well.
- Cryosurgery, which involves freezing the wart, after which the wart and surrounding dead skin falls off by itself.
- Cryosurgery followed by surgically removing the infected spot.
- Treatment with chemical compounds, containing salicylic acid, blistering agents, immune system modifiers, or Formaldehyde
- Laser treatment
- Duct Tape consistently (suffocate the wart)
None of these treatments are very effective on single uses; the wart often returns after the skin has healed from the treatment, but repeated treatment should get rid of the wart permanently. As they disappear after a few months and maximally a few years, treatment is necessary only if the lesions are painful or are a cosmetic problem.
Over-the-counter
There are also several over-the-counter options. The most common one involves salicylic acid. These products are readily available at most drugstores and supermarkets. There are typically two types of products: adhesive pads treated with salicylic acid, or a bottle of concentrated salicylic acid. Removing a wart with this method requires a strict regimen of cleaning the area, applying the salicylic acid, and removing the dead skin with a pumice stone or emery board. It may take up to 12 weeks to remove a stubborn wart.
Another over-the-counter product that can aid in wart removal is silver nitrate in the form of a Caustic Pencil, which is also available at drug stores. This method generally takes three to six daily treatments to be effective. The instructions must be followed to minimize staining of skin and clothing.
Over-the-counter cryosurgery kits are also available, however often costing 3 times as much as previosly named products.
Like prescription treatments, over-the-counter treatments usually require multiple applications, and are only necessary if the warts are problematic. Additionally, these treatments are capable of destroying healthy skin as well as warts, so caution must be exercised by those attempting them without medical supervision.
Household remedies
The duct tape method involves placing a piece of duct tape (or medical tape) over the affected area for a week at a time. The procedure is otherwise identical to that of using salicylic acid adhesive pads. A studyTemplate:Ref found that the duct tape method was 85% effective, compared to a 60% success rate in the study's cryotherapy group.
Other household remedies include taping the inside of a square of banana skin over the warts every night for three to four weeks. Proponents of this method theorize that an enzyme in the banana skin helps to destroy the virus. Another household remedy is to soak the affected area in hot water and washing liquid for three consecutive days.
Without controlled studies for most household remedies, it is difficult to know whether the warts disappear because the remedies work, or if they disappear due to the individual's own immune system response to the virus (possibly augmented by a placebo effect). The success of hypnosis in curing warts [2] at least suggests that the condition may be cured by belief in a remedy, the placebo effect or other psychological means.
Some household remedies are potentially dangerous. These include attempts to cut or burn away the warts. Incense is sometimes used in Asian countries to burn warts. These methods are very painful, and can lead to infection and/or permanent scarring.
References
- Template:NoteFocht DR III, et al. The Efficacy of Duct Tape vs. Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris (the Common Wart). Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Vol. 156 No. 10, October 2002.