Which doctor should I see for warts?

First you need to understand what warts are. Basically, it is a skin disease that is characterized by the appearance of small formations. The size of such formations varies from 1 mm to 1 or more centimeters.

The cause of warts is viral. They can be passed from person to person through a simple handshake or by using items that have been used by a sick person. The incubation period can last several months. So, when you develop warts on your body, it can be very difficult to remember who may have "given" them to you.

It must be said that there are different types of warts, so the attitude towards them should be extremely delicate. They can be located on the back of the hands, on the face and even on the scalp. On the legs, warts are usually found on the soles of the feet. If they are painless on the hands, then on the legs they can cause a lot of inconvenience. Their formation can be encouraged by the sweating of the feet and the pressure of the shoes.

A special place is occupied by young warts, which appear in adolescence. Usually these warts are small in size and located on the hands and face. For any type of warts, you should consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of other skin diseases.

Thus, genital warts are sometimes confused with warts, which requires consultation with a venereologist and urologist. Any new skin growth should require maximum attention. It happens that a skin tumor is mistaken for a wart, and this is extremely dangerous, especially if you are going to remove it. In this case, you should not turn to folk remedies!

Such procedures should only be carried out by a professional doctor, first making sure that he is dealing with a wart. Not all warts are recommended for removal, this method is used as a last resort: if the wart causes discomfort or bleeds, if the wart causes aesthetic discomfort, if the wart has reached large sizes, if it is growing.

Otherwise, it is better to treat warts. The treatment should be carried out by a doctor and you should be monitored by him during the entire treatment period. It must be said that incorrect treatment can contribute to the degeneration of the wart into a malignant tumor. Therefore, contact only specialists.

Types of warts

Warts are more often diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but can also appear in adults. In medicine, the following types of warts are distinguished:

1. Simple/vulgar.The most common type of skin tumor, in 70% of cases it is diagnosed in school-aged children. Most often, warts of this type appear on the hands, but they can also be on the edges of the lips and on the neck. Common warts are distinguished by the presence of one largest, "mother" wart - if it is removed, then the smaller tumors disappear.
2. Flat/youthful.They are rare - only up to 4% of diagnosed cases. They are found on the back of the hands, on the edges of the lips, on the head of the penis and on the oral mucosa.
3. Palmoplantar.They appear in places where there is the most active pressure from uncomfortable shoes. Diagnosing this type of wart is often difficult, since the specialist must distinguish the neoplasm in question from calluses and calluses.
4. Filamentous.It has a specific appearance - a small "tail" of thin skin, there can be many of them and they are always arranged in a "bunch". It is most commonly found in the armpits, neck and under the breasts/breasts.

Methods for removing warts on the body and hands directly depend on the type of tumor that will be diagnosed in the patient.

It is worth knowing one more feature of warts - they do not have an exact description of the "appearance". For example, a plantar wart can be a small round lump with a dark center, but an ordinary wart is a growth on the skin that has a heterogeneous structure. The easiest wayto answer the question "what does the wart look like" is if it is thread type - an "icicle" appears on the skin, which does not cause pain or irritation. It should be noted that frequent rubbing of a wart leads to its inflammation and irritation -it becomes red and may cause pain.

Where do warts come from?

It's all due to the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is most often transmitted through direct contact with a wart or the personal belongings of an infected person. Four of the several dozen types of HPV are responsible for the appearance of warts on the skin.

HPV can easily be called "cunning". A person may not suspect that he has become the owner of HPV for a long time.

After infection, the virus is localized in the upper layer of the epidermis and may not manifest itself for a long time. But as soon as the defense mechanisms weaken, the virus is activated and manifests itself in the form of one or more warts.

From the moment of infection to the appearance of skin formations, it can take from a week to several months.

Locations

Which doctor to contact with warts depends directly on the location of the growths.

Depending on the variety, warts can grow all over the body and in particular:

• on the leg and hand, on the leg;
• in the area of the armpits, under the breasts and on their surface;
• on the face, neck and head;
• on male and female genitals;
• on the mucous membrane of the vagina, esophagus, larynx;
• in the month. on the tongue and the inner surface of the cheeks and lips;
• on the body under clothing.

Reasons for the appearance

Getting infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV) is very easy.

It is enough to have close contact with a person who has growths on the skin.

However, the disease does not appear immediately, and warts may begin to grow several months or years after infection.

Factors affecting HPV activity:

• weakened immunity;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• stress;
• malnutrition;
• bad habits;
• passive lifestyle.

What to do if a wart has already appeared

Let's go back to the survey results. Only 28% of respondents with warts consulted a doctor. It seems that the prospect of surgical removal procedures is scarier than the wart itself. 34% of the study participants tried to remove warts themselves, and 16% decided not to take any action because they did not attach any importance to it.

Why you should get rid of warts

For those who are still unsure whether to remove warts, it is important to know the following.

• First, warts are contagious. To do this, direct contact with the wart or personal hygiene items of its carrier is sufficient.
• Second, warts tend to "conquer territory", that is, spread to healthy areas of the skin. This process is called autoinoculation (self-infection).

Obviously, it is easier to treat warts in the early stages of the disease, which will save time, effort and money in the future. In addition, in pharmacies you can buy products for self-removal of warts.

When to see a doctor

• if the wart quickly changes shape, color or all together;
• if the wart has an uneven color;
• if the borders of the wart are blurred (in this case, it is most likely not a wart);
• if the wart hurts or is constantly injured (this increases the risk of its degeneration into something more serious);
• if the number of warts gradually increases;
• if the wart bleeds or itches;
• if a wart has formed in the genital area.

Which doctor treats warts in children and adults

If growths appear on any part of the body, you should contact a doctor specializing in the treatment of skin diseases - a dermatologist.

• He is the one who conducts the examination and decides whether additional diagnostics are needed (blood test, PCR test, biopsy).
• In some doubtful cases, when the wart has signs of a malignant tumor, the dermatologist may recommend a consultation with an oncologist or dermato-oncologist.
• In most cases, the doctor decides to remove the wart, after which its tissue is sent for histological examination to ensure that there are no malignant signs.
• Warts on the mammary glands in women can cause breast cancer and require examination by a mammologist.

Removal of warts

The removal of warts is a radical method and is carried out in several ways. Warts can be removed using a laser. Together with this, methods of cryotherapy and electrocoagulation are used. You can effectively remove warts with the help of homeopathic medicines. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses.

When choosing a method to remove a wart, the doctor is usually guided by the location of the wart on the body. So laser removal can leave behind scars. Scar formation is sometimes observed after using the Surgitron device, so the doctor must choose the method of wart removal: depending on where the warts are located.

Cryotherapy and electrocoagulation are gentle methods for removing warts. Electrocoagulation is performed using a special device that uses high-frequency current. As a result of using this device, the temperature of the tissue rises and the wart is destroyed, which leads to the death of the virus.

Cryotherapy is also cauterization, but only with liquid nitrogen. The procedure is quite painless and leaves no scars. Speaking of these two methods, it is worth noting that their use eliminates contact with blood, which is extremely important. To remove warts, you can only trust a doctor with experience in this field.

After removing the warts, you need to think about how to avoid re-infection.In no case should the warts be torn off or tied with a thread at the base so that they fall off on their own! Such unreasonable behavior can lead to serious health problems - for example, the resulting wound can become infected, and due to the tightening of the base of the tumor, blood circulation can be disturbed.

A dermatologist or cosmetologist will tell you how to get rid of warts on the hands of children and adults, what procedures will help you forget about tumors on the body and face - you can contact one of these specialists. There are three main methods of removing warts:

1. Laser therapy.Usually, this method is used to remove warts in the most tender and painful places or if the patient wants to avoid scars. Laser removal of warts on the face is the optimal solution, as this procedure is painless, does not require a long recovery period, and leaves no scars on the skin after it.
2. Cryodestruction.This involves the use of liquid nitrogen, which literally burns the tumor without leaving any marks on the skin, although in some cases a small scar is possible. After removing warts with liquid nitrogen, the patient will have to avoid direct sunlight, in the future a small whitish spot may remain at the site of the procedure.
3. Drug therapy.It is used in conjunction with the above methods. There are many drugs that have a local effect and help to destroy the wart faster. The most effective remedy for warts is the extract of celandine, which is applied pointwise to the growth. You should not use the celandine plant alone to treat warts - if its juice gets on healthy skin, it causes severe burns.

Getting rid of this type of skin tumor should be comprehensive. It is not enough to visit a doctor and find out what causes warts on your fingers or face, you must follow all the prescriptions and recommendations of a specialist. Even with proper treatment, relapses of the disease are registered quite often - in 40-50% of cases, the warts reappear.

More information about what warts are, which doctor to contact for plantar wart treatment and what is meant by the term "general therapy for human papillomavirus" can be found on the pages of our website.

Is it possible to remove warts yourself?

Warts can be removed by yourself at home, but only after diagnosis by a specialist.

There are special burning pharmaceutical products that can remove the growth after the first use. They have a cauterizing and necrotizing effect.

Such drugs are toxic and can cause burns to the tissue around the wart, so they should be used with caution. It is not recommended to remove warts at home in places with particularly delicate and sensitive skin (on the face, neck, mammary glands and genitals). You should also make sure that the wart is completely gone and that no root or other part of it remains. The ability of warts to reproduce is so great that even a small piece of tissue can become a source of infection in healthy areas of the dermis.

When using pharmaceutical drugs, you must strictly follow the instructions for their use and pay special attention to contraindications. Most of them are prohibited for use by children, pregnant and lactating women.

Warts are external manifestations of an unsatisfactory internal state of the body. It is important not only to get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but also to constantly fight the virus. The human immune system is able to independently deal with the causative agent of the disease if it is given all possible help. To do this, it is enough just to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, to strengthen the body with sports and healthy food.

Complications

Anogenital warts under certain conditions (for example, with infection with sexually transmitted infections, reduced general and/or local immunity) can increase in size and grow, thereby worsening a person's sexual life and significantly reducing his quality of life.

In addition, inflammation and suppuration of anogenital warts, as well as their ulcer can develop due to prolonged mechanical impact on them. In rare cases, their malignant degeneration is possible.

Recommendations for patients with warts

• Since two-thirds of cases disappear spontaneously within two years, warts can be observed without treatment. When the old lesions disappear, new warts may appear. This is not a consequence of treatment failure, but is part of the natural history of HPV infection.
• Treatment often takes many weeks or months, so patience and persistence are needed for therapy to be successful.
• Tools used to remove warts, such as nail files and pumice stones, should not be used on healthy skin or by other people. For the same reason, if the warts are located on areas of the skin that have hair, you should use epilators or electric shavers to remove the hair in those areas, or not remove the hair at all, thus limiting the spread of warts.
• To monitor and evaluate the results of the treatment, a repeat visit to the doctor is necessary. • If the patient conducts self-treatment, he can schedule follow-up examinations with the doctor at his discretion.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

• vaccination with quadrivalent vaccine (against HPV types 6 and 11, 16, 18);
• exclusion of casual sexual contacts;
• use of barrier methods of contraception (condom);
• compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• timely and adequate treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs;

FAQ

Which doctor treats warts?

For warts, it is best to consult a dermatologist. A dermatologist specializes in treating skin conditions and is experienced in removing warts.

Is it possible to see a general practitioner with a wart problem?

Yes, you can see a general practitioner such as a general practitioner. He will be able to conduct an initial consultation and, if necessary, refer you to a specialist - a dermatologist.

What methods do doctors use to treat warts?

Doctors can use a variety of methods to treat warts, including cryotherapy (freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen), chemical removal, electrocautery (using an electric current to remove the wart), and laser removal. The doctor will choose the most suitable method depending on the characteristics of the wart and the individual characteristics of the patient.

Useful tips

Tip #1

See a dermatologist. A dermatologist is a specialist in skin diseases and can help you with warts. He will conduct an examination, make a diagnosis and offer the most effective treatment.

Tip #2

See an oncodermatologist. Warts may be related to the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause skin cancer. A dermatologic oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, so he can conduct additional tests and recommend appropriate treatment if necessary.