Wart on finger: causes, symptoms and treatment

A wart on the finger is a benign tumor that is viral in nature. The causative agent causing the appearance of such growths is the human papillomavirus. Warts are considered safe formations because. rarely causes cancer. However, this fact does not mean that there is no need for treatment at all. This article contains detailed information about the etiology of the disease, external signs and modern methods of treatment.

Causes of warts on fingers

Warts are not uncommon because. the human papillomavirus that causes them to grow is highly contagious and spares neither adults nor children. The pathogen that gets on the skin enters the tissues with the slightest damage and remains in the body forever. At the same time, different levels of virus load can be observed at different times, e. g. the population of the microorganism either increases or decreases. The disease can be asymptomatic for a long time. The incubation period can vary significantly in each case and can range from 1-6 months to several years. All this undoubtedly affects the nature of external manifestations. So, an increase in the activity of the virus causes the same warts on the fingers, legs, knees and other areas of the skin.

The surest way of infection is direct contact with an already infected person. HPV is often sexually transmitted, so unprotected sex or intercourse is the most likely cause of increased incidence. However, the growth of warts on the fingers is most often caused by the contact of the upper limbs with infected surfaces, be it the hands of the virus carrier or objects that he has just used - pen, cutlery, towel, book, etc. All public rooms are classified as high-risk places, but especially those with high humidity.

Even the baby from the mother can become infected. This happens during childbirth.

The risk of self-infection increases with the localization of warts on the fingers, e. g. rapid spread of the infection to the face and other parts of the body. This is due to the sensitivity of the growths to frequent injuries, which lead to the release of a large amount of the pathogen to the surface, and the fact that the fingers are in contact with all other skin surfaces and can transfer the virus to them.

The reality is that the answer to the question of why warts appear on the fingers is quite ambiguous and includes many provoking factors. First of all, the development of a viral infection is facilitated by a decrease in the immune status of the infected person, when the body becomes unable to resist the activity of the virus, maintain its population and prevent the uncontrolled growth of viruses. skin cells in the form of a wart on the finger or other parts of the body. Here, too, everything is not clear, because there are many reasons for the decrease in immunity. This is an unbalanced diet, drug abuse, bad habits, and emotional and physical overload.

What else can cause warts on fingers? Various acute and chronic diseases, such as severe colds, diabetes mellitus, HIV, venereal diseases, skin pathologies, etc. , lead to the activation of the pathogen. . A unique characteristic, such as hyperhidrosis or increased sweating, also stimulates the development of pathogenic microflora.

Lack of daily care and personal hygiene also allows HPV to infect more and more skin areas. Unwashed hands, untreated injuries, dry and weathered skin, nail bites and burrs can all be the cause of warts on the fingers.

What do finger warts look like?

Most people confuse warts with other skin growths, such as calluses, lichen planus, keratosis, molluscum contagiosum, and often choose the wrong treatment options themselves or completely ignore the external manifestations of the disease, exposing themselves to the risk of spreading the infection. and others at risk of infection.

To avoid such mistakes, it is better to study in detail what warts on the finger look like, what type they are, and go to the hospital in time to make an accurate diagnosis and determine effective treatment. schema.

Benign epithelial changes caused by HPV have a capillary network that feeds the cells. For this reason, when the integrity of the growth is damaged, minor bleeding very often occurs, which increases the risk of infection spreading and wound infection. This is partly why attempting to cut away these hardened tissues is strongly discouraged.

Warts first appear in a single amount - just one or two. But due to problems with the functioning of the immune system, more and more formations may appear. Sometimes they even merge, so that an extensive skin lesion is formed.

It is worth considering that a rapidly growing focus indicates a strong activity of the pathogen and causes an urgent visit to the doctor. It is worth going to the hospital to find out how to treat warts on the fingers in cases where the tumor begins to darken or turn red, when there is a visible change in its structure, and there is swelling, suppuration, or it is arbitrary. removal of pathological fluid from the growth body.

Warts can be yellowish, skin-toned, or gray-brown in color. In some cases, black dots are visible on the surface - these are just places where thrombosis of small vessels has occurred.

The most common types of warts on fingers are:

• Vulgar warts. The second name is common. They often appear not only on the inside of the palm, but also on the entire surface of the fingers, sometimes affecting the periungual space, where the skin is exposed to tension and burrs. Flesh-colored formations are more common, but brownish-yellow or gray formations also occur. The shape is nodular or domed. Its diameter is 2-7 mm. The structure of the construction is quite dense and somewhat rough. Dry rather than healthy skin. It can crack and cause pain.
• Superficial flat warts. Their surface only slightly protrudes above the skin. The shape is rounded, although during their spreading and fusion, outgrowths with uneven contours also occur. The color can be brown or pale yellow. The diameter of a flat wart on the finger is 3-4 mm. Their presence on the skin is most often not accompanied by pain.
• Deep flat warts. Due to the structure of this type of skin formation, it often causes pain. Outside the skin, growths appear flat with a slight indentation in the middle, but their roots grow deeper into the layers of the dermis. This, of course, causes significant daily discomfort, which more often than other reasons prompts a person to consult a doctor. The shape of the deep formations is irregular, and the color and size are usually the same as the superficial warts.
• Subungual warts. The name was not chosen by chance. Such growths occur exactly in the area below the free edge of the nail plate. At first, the wart on the finger has a flat and smooth surface, then it becomes rough and keratinized. Due to the low activity of the virus, they practically do not cause symptoms, but due to a significant weakening of health and the lack of proper hygiene treatment, they grow, penetrate the tissues under the nail, provoking the expulsion of the plate from the nail bed. . In this case, it is no longer just an aesthetic defect. Pain and suppuration appear, gradually the formation reaches the matrix and irrevocably destroys it.

Many people believe that the treatment of such a disease is not mandatory, if you try to strengthen the immune system so that the body can cope on its own. However, this view is largely wrong. After all, there are many reasons why it is necessary to treat warts on the fingers and other parts of the body. First of all, such tumors are quite contagious, and a person with warts can infect several healthy people, who can develop the disease in a more severe form. Secondly, many children, adolescents and adults are simply very embarrassed by such skin formations, which naturally prompts the desire to find an effective way to remove a wart on the finger. What can we say about pain, susceptibility to injury and the danger of oncological processes?

Ways to treat warts on the finger

Modern medicine knows many effective ways to remove a wart on the finger. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages and should be used only as prescribed by a doctor and in combination with drug therapy, since the mere removal of growths by any method does not inhibit the activity of the virus and does not guarantee the absence of recurrence of the disease. illness in the near future.

Removal of warts on the fingers in the clinic

When a dermatologist is appointed, a detailed diagnosis is prepared, the results of which, in addition to the main health indicators, determine the strain of the virus causing the disease, as well as the risk of developing an oncological process. Often, it may be necessary to conduct tests for concurrent diseases, such as HIV, which can also cause warts on the finger and worsen the course of the disease.

As a result, a multifaceted treatment is prescribed. This involves excision of growths using one of the modern instrumental methods, including:

• Laser removal. The most popular method. Almost every clinic offers it. The special equipment makes it possible to burn out the epithelial tumor almost painlessly, preventing bleeding. The healing time of the bark is minimal. After such exposure, the tissues recover quickly, so there are practically no traces in the form of scars on the skin.
• radio wave removal. The method is based on the strength of radio waves, which simply cut out growths without bleeding. With a radio knife, you can remove warts on the fingers practically without touching healthy tissue. The procedure is quite expensive, but extremely effective and safe.
• Electrocoagulation. The active force is a current of different frequencies. It cauterizes the wart cells on the finger in seconds. At the same time, the vessels are sealed, which prevents bleeding.
• Surgical method.We don't do it without local anesthesia because. it is removed with a scalpel. It is appointed less often than other options. The main indication is a large lesion, when taking material for histological examination, as well as the presence of deep ingrowths in the skin and under the nail plate. Healthy tissues are often damaged during the procedure. Scars often remain after healing. The price of the surgical intervention is calculated individually in each case.
• Cryotherapy. Widely used method. The body of the wart on the finger is removed by exposure to liquid nitrogen at an ultra-low temperature. This option is characterized by good performance, painlessness, no need for local anesthesia. However, during the recovery period - approximately 7-10 days - all the doctor's recommendations must be followed so that the treated areas heal quickly and without problems.
• Chemical method. Removal of a wart on the finger is done with aggressive chemicals such as trichloroacetic acid. In order to prevent burns to healthy tissues, it is better to entrust the execution to a qualified professional. The blow should be very accurate and should only affect the body of the build-up. Scars may remain after healing. The cost of the procedure depends on the chosen drug and is calculated individually by the doctor.

No method guarantees 100% efficiency and the avoidance of repetition. The result depends not only on the type and location of the wart, but also on the training of the medical staff and the tools and preparations used. During the recovery period, the patient himself plays an important role, who must comply with all the doctor's instructions: treat the places for removing warts on the fingers daily, prevent injuries, hypothermia of the palms, take the prescribed medications, eliminate bad habits and normalizediet. Only then you will not have to decide again how to get rid of a wart on your finger.

Treatment of warts on the fingers with drugs

Competent medical treatment of warts on the fingers means taking drugs aimed at suppressing viral infection, increasing the immune state, and restoring the balance of minerals, vitamins and other useful compounds.

Types of medicinal products for the treatment of warts on the fingers:

• Oral preparations. This category includes means of complex effects - antiviral and immunomodulatory. Currently, there is no drug that can completely destroy the human papillomavirus, so one of the tasks of modern medicine is to simulate natural immunity in order to increase the body's resistance and significantly reduce the viral load, stopping the growth of warts on warts. fingers and other places.
• External use. Some drugs are used for antiseptic treatment, others accelerate tissue regeneration, others have local antiviral and immunostimulating effects, others nourish skin cells, normalizing all metabolic processes.
• Cauterization of external agents. They may contain cauterizing acids and other components that contribute to the destruction of growths. Home use involves the risk of burns, so the procedure should be carried out with great care. Some drugs work on the principle of cryodestruction, others on the principle of chemical destruction.
• Vitamin and mineral complexes. They are prescribed to prevent the lack of nutrients in the body, restore metabolism and the performance of individual organs and systems, including the immune system.

Folk remedies for warts on the finger

The effectiveness of traditional medicine does not quell controversy. Some argue that it is ineffective and that people simply waste valuable time by refusing to see a doctor, while others argue that it is the only correct way to safely cure most diseases.

Looking for the right answer to the question of how to reduce a wart on the finger, it is better to use the golden mean. Consult a doctor and discuss with him the options for complex therapy, including instrumental removal of growths, taking HPV-specific drugs and appropriate folk remedies.

Popular folk remedies for the treatment of finger warts:

• Plum poultice. Dissolve salt (20 g) in 150 ml of water, add 20 ml of vinegar, mix and dip one half of the pitted plum into it. Infusion time - 2 hours. Remove the plums and mash the pulp. Apply the resulting suspension to the warts and fix with a bandage or plaster for 2-8 hours.
• Thuja oil against warts. It is applied externally 4-5 times a day. The daily use of this medicine ensures the rapid restoration of epithelial cells.
• Tui tincture.Pour thuja leaves (20 g) with vodka (100 ml). Insist for 14 days. Apply to the areas affected by warts on the fingers several times for 3 minutes. The procedure is repeated twice a day for 14-20 days.
• Coniferous tincture. Take equal amounts of young conifer twigs and juniper fruits. Mix and grind all the raw materials. Place 50 g of the resulting mixture in a glass jar and pour 200 g of alcohol. Leave it for about 3 weeks. Filter and use to lubricate growths. It is enough to apply once a day.
• Lemon peel infusion. Peel off the peel of 1-2 lemons, chop them up, you can use a knife or a meat grinder. Place the mass in a glass container and fill it with table vinegar in a volume of 100-150 ml. Close the lid tightly. Let it insist for a week, don't forget to shake it every day. Then remove the cake and treat the warts on the fingers with the resulting infusion, taking care not to touch healthy skin.
• Horse chestnut decoction. To prepare it, boil 2. 5 liters of water, add horse chestnut leaves (120 g) and boil over low heat for 15 minutes, strain and pour the soup into a basin. When it cools down to 36-40 degrees, let your palm in. The duration of such bathing is 20 minutes. 8 procedures must be performed within 2. 5 weeks, i. e. repeat every 3 days before going to bed.
• Herbal infusion. Such a device affects the whole body in a complex way. But its most important property is to stimulate immunity to fight the virus. Systematic reception stops the growth of warts on the finger. To prepare, mix 20 g of juniper needles, plantain leaves, chicory root and dandelion, birch leaves, and 30 g of horsetail and nettle, then grind. To be stored in a glass container with a lid. For decoction, take 20 g of the mixture, place it in an enameled pan, pour boiling water (500 ml) and let it stand for 60 minutes. Filter and consume internally before meals, 100-150 ml 3-4 times a day.

Regardless of what caused the weakening of the immune system and the growth of epithelial tumors, warts on fingers and toes, elbows, knees, feet and other places require special attention and proper treatment. Timely admission to the hospital, as well as the selection of appropriate methods for the removal of growths and the treatment of HPV, will allow you to recover faster and forget about the unpleasant manifestations of the viral disease for a long time.