A wart is a benign skin neoplasm, from which no one is immune.Everyone who cares about their own health should know what warts look like, photos of which show various types of growths.Knowing the specific signs of different types of tumors will help you notice growth in time and consult a doctor if you have any questions about their treatment or removal.
What warts look like: photos and characteristics
The human papillomavirus causes the formation of various growths on the skin.
Warts, photos of which are presented in large quantities on the Internet, can take different forms.The reason is the variety of strains of the HPV virus, which provokes the process of division of epithelial cells and the appearance of growths.
The following types of neoplasms are distinguished:
- vulgar warts;
- papillomas;
- flat warts;
- keratomas;
- filamentous warts;
- condylomas;
- plantar warts.
In fact, any type of growth caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) can be called a papilloma, as it is a general designation for a type of benign neoplasm.
Keratomas are the only type of growth from the list listed above that is not caused by a virus.These neoplasms appear in elderly people, due to age-related changes in the epidermis.
Characteristics of vulgar warts
Most often, these warts form on the fingers;if they interfere, they must be removed.
Wart vulgaris is the most common type of growth.It is very easy to recognize it from a photo due to its characteristics.It is shaped like a small ball, rising above the rest of the epidermis.The ball is homogeneous, quite dense, palpation is painless.Vulgar warts can be lightly or heavily pigmented.Most often, they do not differ in color from the rest of the epidermis, but they can be brown, resembling spots in color.
The size of vulgar warts varies from a few millimeters to a centimeter in diameter;large sizes are a rare exception.
Hair can grow on the body of the wart if the growth is located on a hairy area of the body.This is completely normal and is not a pathology.
A wart can be damaged in everyday life.An accidental growth disruption is accompanied by profuse bleeding.This is due to damage to the capillaries that feed the wart.Most often, these warts are located on the hands, fingers and feet.
Rubbing the tumor with clothing can cause swelling and inflammation.In this case, discomfort and pain appear.As a rule, if there is a wart in the way, it is recommended to remove it.
What do papillomas look like?
When papillomas appear, it is necessary to determine the strain of the virus - some types of HPV are oncogenic.
Having figured out what a wart looks like in the photo, you should consider another common type of growth - papillomas.They are a small soft ball on a stalk that rises noticeably above the rest of the epidermis.
Characteristics of papillomas:
- small sizes;
- slight pigmentation;
- soft and homogeneous structure;
- no discomfort during palpation.
The thin stalk provides nutrition to the papilloma body.The blood supply for growth is provided by capillaries;therefore, if the leg is damaged, bleeding begins.Under normal conditions, papillomas do not hurt or cause discomfort, but when compressed by fabric, shoe straps or other items of clothing, papillomas can become inflamed.This causes pain.Damage to papillomas is potentially dangerous, so it is preferable to remove them in a timely manner.Depending on the strain of the virus that caused the growths to form, papillomas can degenerate into malignant neoplasms.In fairness, it must be said that this happens very rarely, in no more than 4% of cases.
Location of papillomas: back, armpits, inguinal folds, neck, but they can also appear on other parts of the body.
Flat warts in the photo
Flat warts are growths on the skin that are slightly raised above the surface.
Flat warts occur in children and adolescents.They are easily recognizable in the photo: they are small flat protuberances with a predominantly yellowish color.They resemble small plaques or bumps on the skin and are almost invisible.The surface of flat warts is smooth and shiny.
This type of growth is safe.Flat warts do not hurt or cause discomfort, are difficult to damage in everyday life and almost never degenerate into malignant neoplasms.
Flat warts are removed mainly for cosmetic reasons, as they often appear on the face and neck.
Keratomas
Keratoma has a different nature of formation and occurs in elderly people.
This type of growth is not viral, but is related to age.Mainly seen in the elderly, the formation of keratomas is often accompanied by pigmentation disorders in other parts of the body.
Keratoma are small, dark, irregular spots with a keratinized top layer.Its surface is irregular, hard to the touch and scaly.Despite this, keratomas are not dangerous.They do not hurt or cause discomfort.Essentially, these are small areas of the skin in which pigmentation is impaired and keratinization processes are intensified.
Symptoms of filamentous warts
Filiform warts often affect delicate areas of the skin.
Filiform warts are small, oblong-shaped growths on the skin.They occur in places with thin, sensitive skin, mainly on the neck, around the mammary glands and in the armpits.Filiform warts look like a papilloma stalk without a round body on top.They are rarely pigmented and most of the time do not differ in color from the rest of the epidermis.The size of the growths does not exceed several millimeters in length and diameter.
Such growths appear in middle-aged and elderly people.In children, adolescents and young people under 35 years of age, filamentous warts are not observed.
How to recognize condyloma?
Condylomas are localized on mucous membranes - in the mouth, on the genitals.
Condyloma is a small growth of overgrown epithelial cells.The main characteristic is the papillary structure.Condylomas occur on mucous membranes, including the genitals.They can cover the labia minora in women, the walls of the vagina, the cervix, the urethra, the head and shaft of the penis.
The virus that causes condylomas is sexually transmitted.
Condylomas can appear singly or in groups.In the second case, they gradually grow together, forming large lumps, shaped like a rooster's comb, broccoli or cauliflower.Its structure is heterogeneous, the color is pink or light brown.
Condylomas on the genitals are especially dangerous.They grow quickly and can affect the urethra and cervix.Condylomas on the cervix are potentially dangerous, as their cells quickly degenerate into a malignant neoplasm.
Plantar warts
Plantar warts cause significant discomfort when walking.
A plantar wart, or plantar wart, is a special type of growth that exclusively affects the feet.Externally, they look like small calluses with keratinized skin around them.The color is usually yellowish-white.The peculiarity of the spine is that it quickly increases in size and hurts when walking.This is due to the fact that its root is located deep under the skin and irritates the surrounding tissues when walking, compressing them.
Pimples are equally common in adults and children.They grow quickly, so they require timely identification and removal.The plantar wart practically does not extend beyond the healthy epidermis, representing a small patch of keratinized skin.
Wart root
The papilloma, wart or condyloma itself is only the visible part of the growth that rises above the skin.The wart itself grows from the inside, from the root.It is the root that plays the main role in the formation of growth, therefore all methods of removing warts are aimed at destroying it.
The exact appearance of a wart's roots depends on the type of growth.In vulgar warts, condylomas and papillomas, the roots are externally invisible, as they are located under the skin.The root is a proliferation of epidermal cells that extends deep under the skin and includes small capillaries through which the blood supply for growth and growth is ensured.
The root of a wart and papilloma practically reproduces the visible part of the neoplasm, but it is located deep under the skin, so it is impossible to see it.
The appearance of a wart's roots depends on the size of the wart's root system.Furthermore, the larger the papilloma itself, the larger its root will be.The only root you may notice on your own is the base of the spine.It is a slight compaction around the growth.If the spine is large, its root becomes darker, which is noticeable.
How to avoid making a misdiagnosis?
Only a doctor can correctly diagnose the type of formation.
After discovering what warts appear on the body and how papilloma and condyloma appear, it is important to understand that the diagnosis should only be made by a specialist.In addition to determining the type of growth from a photo, it is important to carry out tests to identify the strain of the virus and its activity.This will allow you to correctly draw up a treatment regimen so that the warts do not appear again immediately after treatment.To this end, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist immediately after detecting the first growth.If the virus is active, there is a risk of multiple benign skin growths appearing on different parts of the body.