Warts on Hands

What are Warts in hands?

Warts are small tumor shaped outgrowth in the skin and can develop in different parts of the body. One of the commonest sites of wart formation is in finger and hands. Usually the warts are not caused any serious health problem, but it is contagious.

big Warts on Hands image

The infecting agent can transmit via skin to skin contact, so touching is the simple way to contaminate others. The incidence rate of warts in hands are more in children in comparison with adults, as the children do not have fully developed immune system to combat against infecting agent. (1,3,5)

Symptoms

Individual with warts in hands feel embarrassing, as it looks ugly and easily contaminate other by touching.  The following are the included symptoms:

  1. The warts are usually skin color, but they can also in dark brown or blackish gray in color.
  2. Warts are often look like a clusters of tiny dot shaped or group of small seeds like structure, develop due clotting to the underlying blood vessels present beneath the skin surface.
  3. The appearance of the warts is like a fleshy outer -growth of the skin
  4. The warts are rough to touch (3, 4)

Warts on Hands Causes

The causative infecting agent of wart is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Microbiologists describe more than 100 types of HPV are present in the epidemiology, among them some types of HPV are mainly responsible for the development of the Skin warts. The HPV enters into the body through any cut or injury in the upper surface of the skin, even biting of nails also can helps to invade HPV into the blood stream.

The skin warts are a contagious infection and easily spread through skin to skin contact (touching). The infection is not only spread to others, but it can spread in the victims own body involving different parts by touching.

Who are in higher risk?

The individual who are susceptible to the HPV usually has weak immunity. Immunosuppressant diseases like HIV/ AIDS patients are more vulnerable subjects to develop warts on hand.

The immune system is in developing stage at the growing age, so HPV easily invade in children’s body. (2, 4)

Different types of warts in hand

Depending upon the appearance the warts are different types. Warts are classified into six groups, depending upon the usual site of the findings with different formation.

  1. Common warts
  2. Plantar warts
  3. Flat warts or Plane warts (verruca plana)
  4. Filiform warts
  5. Mosaic warts
  6. Periungual warts

Among these six types, there are five types mainly develop on hands or fingers.

Common warts

Common warts are looks like granular cauliflower shaped with rough surface. Frequently found in the hands, fingers, elbow, knee. The color of the warts is darker than normal skin color.

Flat warts

Flat warts cannot noticeable immediately, as their upper surface is flat or plane. They are pinkish, yellowish or brownish in color. Flat or plane warts can grow on the hands, face and thighs. Children are more susceptible towards this type of warts, rare incidence found in adults.

Filiform warts

The shape of the warts looks like a tag of the skin or tiny flap like structure. This type of warts  commonly visible in armpits, neck, chin, and eyelids.

Mosaic warts

Mosaic term is used, as the warts develop in clusters form and usual sites of grow are palm and feet.

Periungual Warts

This warts cause pain around the nail beds and impaired nail growth occur , as they grow under and surrounding parts of the finger and toe nail bed. (1, 3)

Diagnosis

The following steps are followed to diagnose the warts in hands:

  1. Close clinical examination of the warts
  2. Abrade the top layer of the warts and checking the presence of dot of black spot – which is the common sign of the warts. This black dot is formed due to clotting of the blood vessels.
  3. If any finding is unusual, then doctors may proceed to biopsy test. In this test small tissue sample is collected from the warts and then send it to clinical laboratory to detailed examination of the tissues for assessing the malignant growth.
  4. Usually warts are not malignant or cancerous. (4)

How to get rid of warts

The following are the usual medical treatments available for treating warts.

Application of liquid nitrogen

Application of liquid nitrogen is also known as freezing treatment. In this treatment cold nitrogen is sprayed over the warts, and cool temperature kill the skin tissues extended on the warts and then easy removal of the skin can remove warts. This technique is ineffective if the number of warts is more.

Topical application of Salicylic acid

Salicylic acids are available in different dosage forms, which include gels, creams, paints and medicated band-aids. These products are available in the pharmacy store as an OTC product. Regular topical application of these products helps in removal of the warts.

It is suggested that for protecting the skin of the surrounding area with petroleum jelly or other plaster should apply before the application of the salicylic acid, as it damages the surrounding skin.

For obtaining a better result, it is advisable to soak the warts with water at least for 5-10minutes and then apply the salicylic acid.

Duct Tape

Duct tape can be used to treat the warts in hand. Paste a duct tape over the warts and it should remain for 6-7 days. Then remove the tape and soak the wart with warm water. After a few minutes, gentle rubbing on the warts helps to remove all the dead skin. If necessary, again another piece of duct tape has to apply over the warts.

Surgery

If nonsurgical treatment cannot cure the warts, then surgical removal is the only process. The removal can be conducted by cutting or burning the warts under the application of the local anesthetics. This process may cause scar mark at the surgical site. (1,5)

Pictures

Warts on finger

Warts on hand or finger

Warts on hand

References

  1. Elea Carey; Warts; Retrieve from: http://www.healthline.com/health/skin/warts
  2. Hilary Parker, Brunilda Nazario; What Causes Common Skin Warts? Retrieve from: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/viruses-cause-skin-warts
  3. Warts; American Academy of Dermatology; Retrieve from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/contagious-skin-diseases/warts
  4. Common warts (2015); Mayo Clinic; Retrieve from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-warts/basics/symptoms/con-20021715
  5. Christian Nordqvist (2015); Warts: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatments; Retrieve from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155039.php?page=2

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *