Causes And Treatments For A Hand Wart
Traditionally, a hand wart will appear around the nail or the backs of the hands or wherever the skin is broken. A wart is a benign growth that is caused by some type of viral infection that occurs on a mucous membrane. These types of viruses are associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and can be easily transmitted between people and between body parts.
Women, children and young adults are the primary targets for a hand wart to grow and they affect almost 10 percent of the population. There are approximately 60 different types of HPV with each variety preferring its own special place on the body. Some will produce warts on the skin while others target the mouth or genital area.
The HPV enters your body through a mucous membrane or through the skin and generally no symptoms will appear until several months later. When they do make their appearance, they are often skin colored and feel quite rough however, others will be flat, smooth and dark.
It is common for individuals that have HPV to become more sensitive to the virus and they may find that they get a hand wart popping up quite often while others will only see one once in awhile. Also, individuals that have damaged skin or a weakened immune system will find that HPV enters the body much more easily.
Cryosurgery
The most effective way to cure your hand wart is freezing it off which is called cryosurgery. This is the most painless method of wart removal that does not cause damage to the skin. The process is quite fast and you can either take care of it yourself at home with a product designed especially for this or you can have your doctor do it for you.
There is usually a bit of an uncomfortable feeling during the freezing process but it is not extreme and it can be compared to holding onto an ice cube for a few minutes. After a few hours have passed, your hand wart will begin looking red and more raised. You may also experience a burning or tingling feeling in the skin surrounding it. The wart will fall off on its own in a few days, just be careful to not burst or break the blister or it can become infected.
Other Treatment Options
- Salicylic Acid – Over-the-counter wart removal medications that contain salicylic acid are usually around 80 percent effective so they may be a treatment that you want to try before attempting the freezing procedure. They are ideal because they also kill the fungal infection. You should know that you will need to apply this daily for around three month for the wart to completely go away.
- Duct Tape – Research proves that wearing duct tape does the trick for removal. You are to wear duct tape over your wart for about one week. Once you remove the tape, soak it in warm water and use a pumice stone or an emery board to scrape it away. Reapply the tape the next morning and continue to do so for around two months or so to make sure that it does not reappear.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Here is an inexpensive and effective wart removal method. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar and apply it to the wart. Hold it in place with a band-aid and re-soak a fresh cotton ball throughout the day to switch out the dry one. It is important to do this for a few weeks to make sure that the wart is completely disappeared and not just diminished.