Wart Therapy
 Warts are growths on the skin or mucous membranes and
are caused by a viral infection of the outer layer of skin (the
epidermis). Warts are for the most part harmless, but their
appearance may be unsightly, irritating, and embarrassing. Wart
virus infections of the cervix of women are the exception to the
rule. This is considered to be a potentially pre-cancerous
condition.
How many types of warts are there?
Scientifically, there are numerous subtypes of
warts. From a clinical viewpoint, however, dermatologists classify
warts on the basis of their location and appearance. For discussion,
there are four types:
- Common warts (verruca)
- Flat warts (planar)
- Foot warts (plantar)
- Genital warts (condyloma)
Common warts can occur anywhere on dry skin, but are
most often located on the hands. They are usually dry and rough in
appearance and are often clustered. Flat warts are smaller and
sometimes barely visible. They are often located on the face. Foot
warts are generally located on the bottom of the feet and because of
the pressure produced by walking, extend beneath the skin surface.
They have a tendency to be painful. Genital warts occur on both male
and female genitalia. They can be quite variable in appearance.
Sometimes they are small and barely visible and at times they can be
the size of marbles.
How did I get them?
Warts are spread by direct contact with an infected
individual. However, warts may take many months to become clinically
apparent after an individual has acquired the virus. Normal, intact
skin is relatively resistant to the virus. However, when the natural
barrier is disturbed, such as with scratching, the virus can gain
access to the skin cells and cause the growths to develop. Infection
of mucous membranes seems to be more readily acquired.
How can I get rid of them?
In most cases, warts resolve spontaneously. Studies
show that 90% of warts in children have resolved in 2 years. Adult
warts tend to be more persistent, but are generally gone in 7 years.
There is no scarring when warts go away on their own. On the other
hand, many people are bothered by warts and unwilling to wait for
spontaneous resolution. There are many possible treatments, but
complete cure probably depends on the individuals own immune system
recognizing the wart virus and destroying it. Ask Dr. Al
Rustom about Bleomycin "one-shot" treatment for
warts.
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