Warts

A wart is a benign growth of the skin caused by a viral skin infection of the papillomavirus (HPV) family: hence its name “ viral papillomas ”. Since there are several types of HPV virus, different forms of warts are found.

It can appear on the face as well as on various parts of the body such as the hands, feet or even the genitals .

The texture of a wart is most often rough but it can be soft or hard. Its size varies depending on the type of wart .

Although the majority of warts are benign (ie not serious ), they are contagious, hence the need to treat them quickly.

Common or verrucae vulgaris are the most common. These hemispherical lesions are most often asymptomatic but can also be painful. Indeed, when they appear around the nails or on the soles of the feet , they can cause pain. Common warts are single or multiple and their size is between a few millimeters and 1 cm. They have the shape of irregular or round nodules and a firm consistency.

Common warts are often found in areas exposed to trauma (knees, elbows, face).

Filiform warts appear mainly on the face, the eyelids , around the mouth or on the neck ( shaving areas ). They are elongated and recognizable by their narrow columnar shape. The filiform wart is a variant of the common wart, it is more common in men .

Flat warts usually appear on the face, especially on scratch marks . As their name suggests, they are flat and flesh-colored, pink or yellow.

Palmar and plantar warts affect the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. They are surrounded by a thickening of the skin ( hyperkeratosis ) which gives them a hard and rough texture. It is possible to distinguish two types of plantar warts :

• Single, well-circumscribed warts (also called myrmecia ) that make standing or doing exercises such as walking painful.
• Mosaic warts: these are multiple and painless lesions. They take the form of small plantar plates close together .

Genital warts , also called condyloma, appear in the private parts: vulva, glans or anus. They are considered STIs or sexually transmitted diseases . In this case, the HPV responsible affects the mucous membranes and not the skin. HPV infection is a major cause of cervical cancer .

Periungual warts are close together around the nail and take on a cauliflower shape.

Chronic nail biting or constantly wet hands are risk factors for periungual warts.

The diagnosis of a wart is based on a clinical examination and occasionally a biopsy if the lesion is truly atypical or ulcerated.

Indeed, the biopsy makes it possible to eliminate a cancerous etiology .

The HPV virus enters under the skin through a skin lesion .

Warts are contagious. Following scratching of the wart, the viruses spread through the skin and new warts appear by self-contamination : this is direct contamination.

The virus can also be transmitted indirectly after contact with a person with a wart.

Certain factors promote the appearance of warts: professions exposed to lesions of the hands, excessive sweating in the feet, living in a community, etc.

Although they may disappear naturally after a few months, it is possible for warts to persist for several years. Weakened immune systems are more susceptible to recurrences.

Warts bother many of our patients, especially psychologically and when they show up in areas exposed to the sun.

In addition, the possibility of an underlying cancer should motivate a consultation with your dermatologist .

At Skin Marceau , our dermatologists use the Nd-Yag laser to treat plantar warts, flat warts and common warts. This method guarantees a definitive treatment of the wart and removes its contagious character.

External warts are treated with CO2 laser. Faced with internal warts, the treatment calls on urologists (male patients) and gynecologists (female patients).

The treatment of warts with laser is possible in all areas of the body: face, hands, feet or genitals, and this without leaving any sequelae.

Nd-Yag laser treatment is quick: 1 to 4 sessions are usually needed to permanently get rid of a wart. Once the protocol has been determined with our specialist assistant, our dermatologists proceed with the treatment.

The skin growths resorb and disappear, without damaging the skin.