WARTS

Warts are benign proliferations of skin and mucosa, usually painless and itchless, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Picking or scratching help warts to spread since certain types of HPV are able to infect skin through cuts or other small abrasions.

Below are 7 common type of warts,

• Common Wart
• Plane Wart
• Filiform Wart
• Genital Wart
• Mosaic Wart
• Periungual Wart
• Plantar Wart

Common warts and plane warts are of the most common types, tends to be found on face, neck and limbs. The former appears as hyperkeratotic papules with a rough, irregular surface while the latter are characterized as flat or slightly elevated flesh-colored papules that may be smooth or slightly hyperkeratotic. And plantar warts are warts found on soles.

There are 4 methods to treat warts, cautery and cryotherapy are of the most common, while topical treatments and CO2/Erbium YAG laser are alternative choices.

Although warts care caused by HPV, HPV vaccine can only prevent a few specific types. The 4-in-1 HPV vaccine only works for some types of genital warts but not any skin warts. Therefore, to prevent skin wart, one can only pay attention to personal hygiene, avoid having barefoot in the public and well disinfect and dress wound in case of any.