Wart on finger: Causes, symptoms and treatment

wart on finger

The wart on the finger is a benign neoplasm that has a viral nature. The causative agent that provokes the appearance of such growths is the human papillomavirus. Warts are considered safe forms, because. rarely lead to cancer. However, this fact does not mean that treatment is not needed at all. This article provides detailed information about the etiology of the disease, external signs and modern methods of treatment.

causes of warts on finger

3D model of HPV causing warts on hands

Warts are not uncommon, because. The human papillomavirus that causes their development is highly contagious and spares neither adults nor children. The causative agent, getting on the skin, is introduced through the slightest damage to the tissuesand remains in the body forever. At the same time, different levels of viral load are observed at different times, i. e. the number of microorganisms either increases or decreases. For a long time, the disease may be asymptomatic. The incubation period can vary greatly in each case and range from 1-6 months to several years. All this undoubtedly affects the nature of the external manifestations. So, an increase in the activity of the virus can occur on the fingers, feet, knees andCauses the appearance of similar warts on other areas of the skin.

The surest way to become infected is by direct contact with an already infected person. HPV is often sexually transmitted, so unprotected sex or promiscuous sex is the most likely reason for an increase in incidence. with contact with the upper organs, be it the hands of the carrier of the virus or objects that he just used - a pen, cutlery, a towel, a book, etc. All public premises are considered places of increased danger, but especially those where the level of humidity is increased.

Even the child can get infected from the mother. This happens during childbirth.

With the localization of warts on the fingers, the risk of self-infection increases, i. e. the rapid spread of the infection to the face and other parts of the body. The reason for this is the susceptibility of growths to frequent injuries, which leads to the release of a large amount of the pathogen onto the surface. leads to release, and the fact that the fingers are in contact with all other skin integuments and can transfer the virus to them.

The reality is that the answer to the question of why warts appear on the fingers is 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 an infected person, when the bodybecomes unable to resist the activity of the virus, keeps its population at the same level and prevents uncontrolled growth. Epithelial cells in the form of warts on the finger or other parts of the body. Here everything is also ambiguous, because there are also many reasons for a decrease in immunity. This is an unbalanced diet, and drug abuse, and bad habits, and emotionaland physical overload.

What else causes warts on the 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. An individual feature such as hyperhidrosis or increased sweating also provokes the development of pathogenic microflora.

Lack of daily care and lack of personal hygiene also allows HPV to infect greater areas of skin. Unwashed hands, untreated injuries, dehydrated and atrophied skin, nail biting and burrs can all cause warts on the fingers. Huh.

What do finger warts look like?

Common types of warts on fingers

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

In order not to make such mistakes, it is better to study in detail what warts on the finger look like, what types they are, and go to the hospital in time to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Diet.

Benign epithelial changes caused by HPV have a capillary network that nourishes their cells. Because of this, when the integrity of the growth is damaged, minor bleeding very often occurs, leading to wound infection and infection. There is an increased risk of spread. This is partly why attempting to cut these hard tissues is highly discouraged.

Warts first appear in a single quantity – only one or two. But due to problems in the functioning of the immune system, more and more formations can appear. Sometimes they even coalesce, so a widespread skin lesion is formed. goes.

It is worth considering that a rapidly growing focus indicates a strong activity of the pathogen and becomes the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor. It is also worth going to the hospital to find out how to treat warts on the fingers in those cases. How to do where the neoplasm begins to darken or redden, if there is a visible change in its structure, and swelling, suppuration appears, or there is arbitrary removal of pathological fluid from the growth body.

The color of the warts can be pale, in the tone of the skin, grayish-brown. In some cases, black dots are visible on the surface - these are the places where thrombosis of small blood vessels has occurred.

The most common types of warts on the finger are as follows:

  • vulgar warts, The second name is simple. They often appear not only on the inside of the palm, but also on the entire surface of the fingers, sometimes they affect the periungual space, where the skin is subjected to tension and burrs. Flesh-colored formationsare more common, but brownish-yellow or brown in color are also found. The shape is nodular or domed. 2-7 mm in diameter. The structure of the build-up is quite dense and slightly rough. It is more dense than healthy skin. Is dry. May burst and be painful.
  • superficial flat warts, Their surface is only slightly raised above the skin. The shape is round, although as they spread and merge, there are also growths with an uneven contour. The color can be both brown and light yellow. On the fingerThe diameter of a flat wart ranges from 3 to 4 mm. Their appearance on the skin is often not accompanied by pain.
  • deep flat warts, This type of skin formation often causes pain because of its structure. Outside the skin, the growth looks flat with a slight indentation in the center, but their root grows deep into the layers of the dermis. This, of course, Provokes considerable daily discomfort, which leads a person to the doctor more often than for other reasons. Deep formations have an irregular shape, color and size are usually similar to superficial warts.
  • subungual warts, The name was not chosen by chance. Such a growth occurs in the area just below the free edge of the nail plate. At first, the wart on the finger is flat and has a smooth surface, then it becomes rough and keratinized. With a low activity of the virus, they practically do not give symptoms, but with a significant weakening of health and the absence of proper hygienic treatment, they multiply, penetrating the tissues under the nail, separating the plate from the nail bed. provokes rejection. , In this case, it is no longer possible to speak only of an aesthetic defect. Pain and suppuration appear, gradually reaching the formation matrix and destroying it irreversibly.

Many people believe that the treatment of such a disease is not necessary if you try to strengthen the immune system so that the body can cope on its own. However, this view is largely erroneous. After all, the fingers and the bodyThere are several reasons for the need to treat warts on other parts. First of all, such neoplasms are quite contagious, and a person with one wart can infect many healthy people, in whom the disease can proceed in a more severe form. . Secondly, many children, adolescents and adults are very embarrassed by the presence of such skin formations, which, of course, causes a desire to find an effective way to remove the wart on the finger. What can we say about the danger of the procedure.

Ways to treat warts on the finger

Modern medicine knows several effective methods of removing the wart on the finger. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages and should be used only as prescribed by a doctor and in combination with drug therapy, since removal of growths by any method can lead to increased viral activity. is not suppressed and does not guarantee the absence of repetition. disease in the near future.

Removal of warts on the fingers in the clinic

laser wart removal on finger

At an appointment with a dermatologist, a detailed diagnosis is carried out, the results of which, in addition to the main indicators of health, determine the virus strain that caused the disease, as well as the risk of developing an oncological process. Often, testing may be needed for concomitant diseases such as HIV, which can also cause finger warts and exacerbate the course of the disease.

As a result, multilateral treatment is prescribed. It consists in excision of the growth by any of the modern instrumental methods, which include:

  • laser removal, The most popular method. It is offered by almost all clinics. Special equipment allows you to burn epithelial tumors almost painlessly, stopping bleeding. The healing time of the scab is minimal. Tissue after such exposure quicklyThey are restored by, so practically no trace remains in the form of a scar on the skin.
  • radio wave generation, The method is based on the power of radio waves, which cut off the growth without bleeding. With the help of a radio knife, you can remove warts on the fingers, practically without touching healthy tissue. The procedure is quite expensive, butIt is considered highly effective and safe.
  • electrocoagulation, The acting force is a current of different frequencies. It stains the wart cells on the finger in a matter of seconds. At the same time, the vessels are sealed, which prevents bleeding.
  • surgical method.It is not performed without local anesthesia, because. Removal is performed with a scalpel. Appointed less frequently than other options. The main indication is a large wound, if it is necessary to take material for histological examination, withAs well as the presence of deep ingrowths into the skin and under the nail plate. During the procedure, healthy tissue is often injured. Scars often remain after healing. Calculation of the price of surgical intervention in each individual case individuallyIs performed.
  • chemicals, Widely used method. The body of the wart on the finger is ablated by exposure to liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures. This option has good performance, painlessness, does not require local anesthesia. However, due to the recovery periodDuring - about 7-10 days - all the doctor's recommendations should be followed so that the treated areas heal quickly and without any problems.
  • chemical method, Removal of a wart on a finger is carried out using aggressive chemicals such as trichloroacetic acid. It is better to entrust the implementation to a qualified specialist in order to prevent irritation of healthy tissues. The impact should be very precise and only on the body of the build-upShould be. Scars may remain after healing. The cost of the procedure depends on the chosen drug and is calculated by the doctor individually.

No method provides a 100% guarantee of effectiveness and absence of recurrence. The result depends not only on the type of wart, its localization, but also on the qualification of the medical personnel and the equipment and preparations used. Recovery periodDuring, an important role is played by the patient himself, who must follow all the instructions of the doctor: daily treat places to remove warts on the fingers, prevent injury, hypothermia of the palms, take prescribed medications, eliminate bad habits. And normalize diet. Only then you will never again have to decide how to get rid of the wart on your finger.

Treatment of warts on the fingers with drugs

Competent medical treatment of warts on the fingers includes taking drugs aimed at suppressing a viral infection, increasing the immune status, and restoring the balance of minerals, vitamins and other beneficial compounds.

Types of medical products intended for the treatment of warts on the fingers:

  • oral preparation, This category includes means of complex effect - antiviral and immunomodulatory. At the moment, there are no drugs that can completely kill the human papillomavirus, therefore one of the tasks of modern medicine is to increase the body's resistance and reduce the viral load. To do is to simulate natural immunity, preventing the growth of warts on fingers and other places.
  • external use, Some drugs are intended for antiseptic treatment, others accelerate tissue regeneration, others have a local antiviral and immunostimulating effect, others nourish skin cells, and normalize all metabolic processes.
  • alerting external agents, They may contain cauterizing acid and other components that contribute to the destruction of the growth. Use at home is associated with the risk of burns, so the procedure must be carried out very carefully. Some drugs work on the principle of cryodestruction, othersOn the principle of chemical destruction.
  • Vitamin and mineral complexes, They are prescribed to prevent nutrient deficiencies in the body, restore metabolism, and determine the performance of individual organs and systems, including the immune system.

Folk remedies for warts on the finger

thuja oil for warts on fingers

The effectiveness of traditional medicine does not abate controversies. Some argue that it is ineffective and that people waste precious time by refusing to see a doctor, others consider it the only true way to safely cure most diseases. Huh.

In search of the right answer to the question of how to reduce the wart on the finger, it is better to use the golden mean. Consult a doctor and discuss with him the options for complex therapy, which may include removal of growths, HPV-specific drugs. Including taking and suitable folk remedies.

Popular folk remedies for the treatment of warts on the fingers:

  • Plum compresses, Dissolve salt (20 g) in water (150 ml), add vinegar (20 ml) here, stir and dip a half-ripe plum in this solution. Infusion time - 2 hours. Take out the plum, mash the pulp. The resulting slurryApply on warts and fix with bandage or plaster for 2-8 hours.
  • thuja oil for warts, It is applied externally 4-5 times a day. Daily use of this remedy ensures rapid recovery of epithelial cells.
  • Tui adulterationThuja leaves (20 g) are poured with vodka (100 ml). Insist 14 days. Lubricate areas affected by warts on the fingers several times for 3 minutes. Procedure twice a day for 14-20 daysis repeated.
  • coniferous tincture, Take young coniferous twigs and juniper fruits in equal amounts. Mix and grind all the raw materials. Place 50 g of the resulting mixture in a glass vessel and pour 200 g of alcohol. Leave for about 3 weeks. Strain to lubricate the growthand use. It is enough to apply 1 time per day.
  • lemon peel infusion, Peel and chop from 1-2 lemons, you can use a knife, you can use a meat grinder. Put the mass in a glass jar and fill with table vinegar to an amount of 100-150ml. Put the lid onClose tightly. Leave for a week, do not forget to shake every day. Then remove the cake, and with the resulting infusion treat the warts on the fingers, trying not to touch healthy skin.
  • Horse Chestnut Brew, To prepare, you need to boil 2. 5 liters of water, put horse chestnut leaves (120 grams) in it and boil for 15 minutes over low heat, strain and pour the broth into a basin. When it reaches 36-40If it cools down to 100 degree Celsius, lower your palms in it. The duration of such bath is 20 minutes. 2. Within 5 weeks it is necessary to carry out 8 procedures, ierepeat every 3 days at bedtime.
  • herbal infusion, Such a tool affects the whole body in a complex. But its most important property is the stimulation of immunity to fight viruses. Systematic reception prevents the development of warts on the finger. For preparation, 20 grams of juniper needles, Grind plantain leaves, chicory root and dandelion, birch leaves, as well as 30 g each of horsetail and nettle. Store in a glass container with a lid. For a decoction, take 20 g of the mixture, an enamel panpour boiling water (500 ml) and leave for 60 minutes. Filter and consume before meals, 100-150 ml 3-4 times a day.

Despite the weakening of the immune system and provoking the development of epithelial tumors, warts that have arisen on the fingers and toes, on the elbows, knees, feet and in other places require special attention and proper treatment. HospitalTimely admission to, as well as the choice of adequate methods to remove growths and treat HPV, will allow you to recover faster and forget about the unpleasant manifestations of the viral disease for a long time.