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Cold and home remedies help against stubborn warts
Warts not only look ugly, but can also be very painful. In addition, they are very contagious and can multiply quickly, which is why a small skin growth quickly follows the next. Trying to get rid of them on their own often fails - but there are some ways to treat warts successfully. In an interview with the news agency "dpa" experts give tips on what to do against the annoying bumps.
Viruses can survive on the floor for two to three days
Whether on the fingers, on the face or in the genital area: warts can appear on different parts of the body and have different shapes. In general, however, they are benign skin growths that are caused by viruses or, in most cases, by an infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). "They are transmitted from person to person, but they can sometimes survive for two or three days on the floor or on a doorknob," explains Eggert Stockfleth, Professor of Dermatology and Director of the Dermatology Department at the St. Josef Hospital in Bochum "dpa".
What helps with warts. Image: Damian Gretka - fotolia The viruses enter the uppermost layers of the skin through tiny injuries or tears, where they stimulate cell growth. Because in the process, a certain enzyme, which is necessary for the multiplication of the pathogen, is the result of the expert. If the infection spreads, there are skin growths that can look very different depending on the type of wart. The common vulvar warts (also known as "spiked warts") are e.g. about pea-sized and visually reminiscent of a cauliflower. Plane warts or "flat warts", however, are smaller and often occur in large quantities, especially on the face and on the hands.
Plantar warts grow inwards and can be very painful
For skin growth on the feet, a distinction is made between the so-called "thorn" and "mosaic" warts. The former arise mainly on the soles and heels and can be relatively large. However, due to the burden of body weight, warts do not grow outward like the other species, but are pushed inwards like a "thorn", which can lead to massive pain when walking. On the other hand, mosaic warts are usually found on the balls of the feet or under the toes, are smaller and usually cause no discomfort.
Smallpox virus causes mollusc warts on the face and neck
An exception are mollusc warts, because they are not caused by human papillomaviruses, but by a poxvirus. These are about pinhead-sized nodules, which have a characteristic dent in the middle, which is filled with a whitish liquid. These skin growths are particularly common in children and adolescents and are especially evident on the face, neck, arms and legs. Especially mollusc warts are very contagious in children, as they often scratch the blisters and spread the secretions with your fingers to other parts of the body. Children with a wart on their feet should therefore not walk barefoot at home and always use their own towels to prevent other family members from getting infected.
Better to wear slippers in the pool
Mollusc warts are often referred to as "swimming pool warts" and thus already give an idea of where the poxvirus is transmitted very often. "On the soil and in the water, there are many pathogens that can easily penetrate through the softened skin," explains Ulrich Fegeler from the Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ) in an interview with the "dpa".
In changing rooms, showers in the swimming pool or in the gym, therefore, sufferers should wear bathing shoes. Although warts usually do not hurt, they can sometimes become uncomfortable when they are sitting where there is pressure on a regular basis, for example on the soles of the feet. Partly warts disappear just as suddenly as they came. Parents should definitely go to the doctor with their children if they have a wart on the face, genitals or anus. For a wart that is painful or red, a doctor should also be consulted promptly. The same is true according to the experts, when it starts to bleed, swollen, wet or festering.
Treatment with salicylic acid requires a lot of patience
Mollusc warts may e.g. be scraped or expressed, but this should "because of the high risk of infection only the doctor make," emphasizes Fegeler. For skin growths caused by HPV viruses, however, e.g. a treatment with drugs such as salicylic acid in question. Here, however, much patience is required, because salicylic acid solutions from the pharmacy would have, for example. often applied several times a day for several weeks, emphasizes Ursula Sellerberg of the Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations (ABDA). Since the active ingredients could also irritate the healthy skin, this should be protected on the advice of the pharmacist with Vaseline.
Professional cryotherapy helps better than over-the-counter icing spray
Even cold is often used for treatment, with over-the-counter icing sprays from the pharmacy often not helping enough, according to pediatrician Ulrich Fegeler. On the other hand, professional cryotherapy, which uses extremely cold liquid nitrogen, can be used very efficiently to eliminate skin growths. A newly developed alternative is "Immune Response Modifier", which are applied in the form of a cream and reactivate the body's own immune system in the wart. This has the advantage that neither pain nor scarring would arise, moreover, it would be less likely to relapse, adds the dermatologist Eggert Stockfleth.
What can I do against warts??
In addition, however, there are also various home remedies available. Amongst others, the stem juice of the miracle drug dandelion, which can help not only with warts but also with corns, should be mentioned here. If the skin growths occur mainly on the soles of the feet and are accompanied by calluses, the homeopathic remedy Antimonium crudum can help. For large, single, touch-sensitive warts, however, Thuja is more likely to be the drug of choice. Frequently also Schüßler salts are recommended for the regression of the nodes, moreover, warts in natural medicine are often treated by rubbing with garlic. The method of an aqueous and oily garlic extract should be quite promising. (ad, nr)