Warts do not infect everyone. Disruption of skin integrity, weakness of the immune system, use of drugs that suppress the immune system are important factors for the spread of warts. The immune system is effective in the spread of the virus. Intense stress, strict diet, irregular diet, overwork and fatigue affect the immune system and have a facilitating effect on the spread of warts. Wounds, scratches and nail-biting habits on the skin disrupt the integrity of the skin, making it easier for the virus to enter.
THE MOST COMMON SEX TRANSMITTED DISEASE: GENITAL WARTS!
Warts are transmitted through direct person-to-person contact. Rarely, it can be transmitted indirectly. Pools, saunas, jacuzzis, showers and gyms are indirect contamination sites of warts. Reasons such as wearing open clothes, stepping on the ground with bare feet, using open shoes and slippers, frequent swimming in the pool, unhygienic places on vacation; This is the reason why warts are more common in summer.
Genital warts are usually transmitted by sexual contact. It is the most common sexually transmitted disease. It may not show symptoms immediately after being infected. The incubation period can last for months. Individuals infect each other after close contact. It appears in different shapes, different colors. It requires close monitoring. Partner therapy is essential.
THE RISK OF SPREAD OF BEARD AREA WARTS IS HIGH!
warts; Although it is common in the hands, feet and face, it can be located anywhere in the body. Common warts, which we call verruca vulgaris, warts located on the soles of the feet, flat warts and genital warts are the most common types of warts.
Common warts are most common on the hands around the fingers. As they can keep the area around a single nail, it can also spread to the entire nail area after plucking.
The beard area in men and the leg area in women are other areas where warts are common. Warts in these areas are very likely to spread. Warts located on the soles of the feet usually descend from the skin surface. For this reason, it causes pressure, causes pain and is very confused with calluses. Having more than one number is more suggestive of warts.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT THE TRAVEL!
Dermatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Okan said, “It is not possible to predict how the warts will progress. Sometimes it can stay constant for years, sometimes it can increase in a very short time. It is important to treat warts. When left untreated, the virus spreads and it becomes difficult to treat,” he warns so that treatment should not be delayed.
TREATMENT IS DIFFICULT AND TIME TAKING
Warts are treated in various ways. The treatment method to be chosen depends on the age of the patient, the area where the wart is located, and the patient’s cosmetic expectations. Warts are difficult to treat and time consuming. There is no one hundred percent guarantee for any of the treatment methods. Warts are treated with externally applied drugs, cryotherapy, electrocauterization and laser method. In some cases, warts can go away on their own without treatment. Especially in pediatric patients, in cases where treatment is difficult, if there is no spread, it can be expected without treatment for a certain period of time.
Externally applied drugs; either by melting the skin or by acting on the immune system, it makes the wart die. When drugs that thin the skin are used; It is important to protect the healthy skin from the drug, to ensure that the lesion is not infected before each application, and to remove the dead skin intermittently. Medicines that are effective on the immune system help to treat the wart by strengthening the immune system.
LIQUID NITROGEN IS EXTRACTED TO THE SKIN
Cryotherapy, which is a treatment method performed by squeezing liquid nitrogen into the skin, is a frequently preferred method in the treatment of warts. Unwanted tissue on the skin is frozen and killed with extremely cold liquid nitrogen. It should be repeated at regular intervals. In the area where the application is made, crusting or water collection is seen. Several sessions may be required. It is recommended to use antibiotic ointment on the wound after treatment. It is a procedure that does not require anesthesia. Cosmetic results are good. It does not cause difficulties in working life.
In the cauterization process, the warts are removed from the skin by burning with electric current. It is a procedure performed under anesthesia. Since the warty skin is removed, it is important to care for the open wound that will occur. There is a possibility of scarring.
The laser method is another method used in the treatment of warts. It is more expensive than other treatment methods and the risk of recurrence is not superior to other methods.
THE MOST FREQUENT RECURRENCE IS SEEN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS
It is not known in advance whether the warts will reappear and where they will recur. There is a risk of recurrence. The most frequent recurrence risk is in the first 6 months. It is important to follow the patients during this period. Treatment only removes visible warts. But there are also invisible viruses that settle inside cells. In general, recurrence is due to invisible warts under the skin. Paying attention to the lifestyle of the person after the treatment is important in delaying the recurrence of the disease.
PERSON WITH WATTS SHOULD NOT HAVE WAXING, MANICURE, PEDICURE
Dermatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Okan listed these measures:
“You should not step on the ground with bare feet. You should not walk around without slippers in common areas such as pool, sauna, beach and Turkish bath. Other people’s slippers should not be worn. Shared items should not be used with others. People with facial warts should pay attention to shaving. Women with warts on their legs should not wax. People with warts on their hands and feet should avoid manicure and pedicure. Hand warts should be treated with care, as they can be spread by shaking hands. HPV vaccine has a protective feature in terms of genital warts.