Warts – Different Types, Causes, Symptoms

They are growths which are found on the skin. They are caused by the virus known as human papillomavirus. The virus causes keratin, the hard protein in the epidermis at the top of the skin layer to grow very fast. Most people confuse warts with moles. Well, the two are very different. This is because moles are dark and can be quite large while warts are small and are skin colored rough lumps. Normally, warts appear on the hands and feet person. However, the appearance of a wart can vary depending on which part of the body it is and also the thickness of the skin. Therefore, if you are sure it is warts tell your doctor next time you see him/her. Most warts do not need to be treated medically. Most warts can disappear without any treatment. If you are not sure and wonder whether it may be something else, go and see your doctor to have it checked.

There are different types of warts which include:

Common warts (verruca vulgaris) – these have a rough surface. They are firm and raised and may have a cauliflower surface type look. They are thickened bumps called papules or plaques. Common warts may appear in any part of the body, but are more common on the knuckles, fingers, elbows and knees. Often they have tiny dark spots which are from blood vessels that have clotted.
Plane warts (verruca plana) – plane (plana) means flat. Plane warts are round, flat and smooth. They are generally yellowish, brownish or skin color. They are also known as flat warts and are more common among young children. They are usually found on the hands, legs and face. Adults can have plane warts, but this is unusual.
Verrucas (plantar warts) – these appear on the soles of the feet, sometimes the heel and toes. They usually grow back into the skin because the weight of the person pushes onto the sole of the foot. They can be painful. It is common for verrucas to have a black dot in the middle, with a surrounding hard, white area. The dark dot is the wart’s blood supply.
Mosaic warts – these grow in clusters. Palmar warts are mosaic warts that grow on the palm of the hands and feet
Filiform warts (verruca filiformis) – these are long and can usually be found on the eyelids, neck and armpits.

Causes of Warts

According to experts, Human paiplloma virus causes warts. This virus can be passed on by contact with towels or shoes, as well as by close skin to skin contact. If a person has wet damaged skin or even comes into contact with rough surfaces, there is a possibility that the person can catch the infection. However, since we have different immune systems, some people may not develop warts when they come into contact with the HPV virus. The possibility of catching mg warts form another person is somehow small. However, it is better to prevent yourself since there are other types of warts like for example genital warts which are very contagious. There are other causes of warts which include,

If somebody scratches or bites a wart
Sucking fingers
Shaving (face or legs)
Biting fingernails can cause warts to spread on the fingertips and around nails

Symptoms of Warts

The symptoms of warts include,

dark or light skin surrounding the lesion
Numerous small, smooth, flat (pinhead sized) lesions on forehead, cheeks, arms, or legs
Rough growths around or under fingernails or toenails
Rough, round, or oval lesions on soles of feet

Home Remedies for Warts

Most warts do not require any treatment .they take different durations to clear up form one person to another. Unlike adults, warts take shorter time to clear up in young children. They may clear up within weeks without even any treatment. However, some warts can take a couple of years to clear. There are different types of treatment that a person can use. Some of them can cause irritation around the skin. In addition to that, using some treatments can cause pain or even blistering. However, when you use home treatment for warts, then you will not have to worry about such effects. The home treatments do not have as many complications as with the other types of treatments. It is better that one visits ac doctor before buying any over-counter treatment.well, home remedies have been used since the beginning of time and believe it or not, they work like a charm. Here are some of, home treatments that are commonly used. Remember, you should always consult with your physician in order to get a proper diagnosis and before trying to incorporate these home remedies yourself!

Duct tape-according to reports, duct tape has been very effective when removing or eliminating warts. All that you have to do is cut a small piece of duct tape just big enough to cover the warts. You then leave it on for five or six days. After keeping the warts covered, for about a week, you will want to remove the tape, soak your wart in water, and then scrub it with a pumice stone. If your wart does not come off right away, you are advised to repeat the procedure again, for at least another one to two weeks. Incase this does not work, see a doctor.
Aloe Vera- It has also been said that aloe Verais effective at eliminating warts. You are advised to soak a small cotton ball in aloe, preferably the gel. After the soaking has occurred, for around about a minute or so, you will want to tape the cotton ball to your wart. You will want to add aloe Vera to the wart or piece of cotton every few hours. By leaving the cotton ball in place, with the exception of changing it daily, your wart should fall off in a few days or weeks.
Banana peel- Rubbing a banana peel on your wart for a few weeks as well is supposed to be a big help. One should rub the banana peel multiple times during the course of the day for maximum effectiveness.
Tea tree oil– Essential oil of tea tree is a powerful antiseptic which kills most bacteria and thus is an extremely potent method of wart removal. This method is also very popular due to its very high rate of success. Just apply essential tea tree oil directly on the wart daily until it disappears. This method should not take too many applications due to its effectiveness.
Castor oil– Apparently, castor oil is also considered an effective wart removal remedy. When using caster oil, you will want to apply the oil to your wart. It is then suggested that you rub or massage the area with your fingers. After doing this day and night for a number of weeks, your wart should disappear. You could also use caster oil by apply it directly to the warts, twice a day, and by keeping it covered. By keeping the wart covered with a bandage, only to remove it when changing, the wart should disappear after about three weeks.
Lemon oil– Another common and popular method of wart removal includes applying a single drop of essential lemon oil directly on the warts itself. Repeat as necessary until wart is gone.
Echinacea- This is a herbal remedy that has been put through clinical tests to prove it effectiveness. It plays a very important role in the treatment of warts. It has been used in warts treatment for a long time with effective results. Nevertheless, to realize more effective results it is advisable to use this herb on a regular basis.
Garlic- This is another herb that has been used to control warts for many years. To use this herb, crush clove garlic in a container. Tap the concoction on the growth on daily basis to realize effective results. When using this remedy, it is important that you protect the surrounding skin from blistering.
Dandelion- This is another herb that is very effective in the treatment of warts. With this herb, you just break it leaf or stem and apply its white sap on the wart. When used daily, this herb is very effective in the treatment of warts.
Yarrow- This is another herb that is very effective in the treatment of warts. It has high amounts of salicylic acid that has aspirin as its active ingredient. This herb is very effective when applied on warts on daily basis.
Goldenseal- This herb is also very effective in the treatment of warts. It has been used for many years and in different parts of the world in treating warts. Many people have reported positive results after using this herb in the treatment of warts. Use it on a regular basis to realize better results.
Elderberry- This herb is also very effective in the treatment of warts. It can be taken internally to strengthen the immune system helping it fight warts.

Diet for Warts

There are some who are uncomfortable with the ugly looking warts and causes some embarrassments since it can be unsightly after all. They would go to doctors to have the warts surgically removed, but if the virus is not completely taken away the warts are going to reappear.

Observing proper hygiene is the most important tool for everyone.
No amount of prescribed diet can help avoid the human papilloma virus or any virus for that matter. The right practice must start with the basic hand and body cleansing as often as the need arises.
By working on the body’s immune system to fight off the virus, any treatment is possible. A balanced diet makes the body healthy and improves its ability to fight off most types of illnesses caused by viruses and bacteria. A balanced choice from all the food groups helps the body become immune even to the wart-causing virus, the human papilloma virus.

Prevention of Warts

Prevention has always been better than cure. Well, it is very easy to prevent yourself from catching warts. Warts are often deemed as unwanted or as unpleasant. This is because they are growths that appear on the skin. These growths are, almost always, non-cancerous, but they are still unwanted. If you are looking for an effective, but low-cost way to have your wart or warts removed, you may want to think about preventing them. The following are instructions that will guide you from contacting warts,

Avoid sharing of towels, flannels or even ant personal items of people who have warts.
Do not touch other people’s warts.
Avoid sharing of shoes or socks with a person who has viruses.
Make sure that you wear sandals when going into or out of communal showers.
Be wearing sandals whenever you are walking around communal pools.
Cover your wart/verruca with a waterproof plaster (band aid) when you go swimming.
There are special socks you can buy to cover verrucas.
Wear gloves in the gym if you have warts on your hands.
Do not brush, comb, shave, clip areas that have warts.
When filing or cutting your nails do not use the same utensil on the infected nail and then on the healthy nails.
Do not bite your fingernails if you have warts near them.
Keep your hands as dry as possible.
Wash your hands thoroughly after touching a wart.