Warts in children: symptoms, causes, treatment methods

Causes of warts in children

Adolescents and children going through puberty are at risk, since at this stage of life, due to changes in hormonal levels, the body becomes weak and immunity deteriorates. Since this disease is a type of benign tumor, its course and treatment should be monitored by a doctor. It is easy to become infected with papilloma viruses; they are transmitted from the carrier. They enter the body through diaper rash, minor injuries, abrasions, and may not manifest themselves for a long time. Warts in children often appear on the surface of the skin, nasal mucosa, and larynx. The latent period of development lasts from one month to six months; after reproduction, the virus affects DNA cells.

Warts in a child on the hands or other parts of the body appear as a result of:

• independent infection. If a child has a wart, he can scratch it, transferring the virus to healthy areas, including the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose;
• from mother. If the mother’s genital organs are affected by papillomas, she can infect the baby during childbirth;
• through everyday objects. This could be other people's toys, clothes, shoes, the touch of an infected baby to a healthy child, hugs.

The baby can also become infected through the placenta while inside the mother’s womb.

The main causes of warts in children include:

• hormonal imbalances (typical of teenagers);
• diseases that have become chronic;
• frequent colds, for example, flu, ARVI, acute respiratory infections;
• stress, fatigue (typical for schoolchildren);
• lack of vitamins (against this background, vitamin deficiency develops);
• injuries, diaper rash, leading to disruption of the integrity of the skin;
• communication with a carrier of the virus;
• wearing smaller clothing (including shoes).

With low activity, minor physical activity, insufficient personal hygiene, visiting bathhouses and swimming pools, you can become infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Infection can occur at school, transport, while walking on the street, in public places. Take into account! Parents need to teach their child from childhood to wash their hands with soap after going outside and after damaging the skin.

Flat warts: features and treatment options

In their clinical practice, doctors of various specialties often encounter human papillomavirus (HPV) - associated diseases of the skin and mucous membranes. The sharp increase in the infection rate of the population, the diversity of clinical pictures, and the characteristics of the course of these conditions arouse interest and active discussion about the tactics of managing such patients among a large number of clinicians. The relevance of the problem of HPV infection, along with the negative trend of spread, is associated with a significantly pronounced negative effect of the virus on the immune system, which leads to its long-term persistence, reluctance to therapy and frequent recurrence of the disease.

Papillomaviruses were allocated to a separate family Papovaviridae, which, according to modern concepts, consists of 16 genera, representatives of five of which are pathogenic for humans [1, 2]. Virions do not have an envelope; their diameter is 50–55 mm. The capsid has the shape of an icosahedron and consists of 72 capsomeres. The genome is represented by double-stranded circularly twisted DNA and includes about 8000 base pairs [3]. During the replication cycle, the viral genome expresses 8 to 10 protein products. Early proteins that control viral replication, transcription and cellular transformation are represented by oncoproteins E6 and E7. The E1 and E2 proteins regulate viral DNA replication and gene expression. Late proteins L1 and L2 are structural proteins of the virion. Protein L1 forms capsomeres [4]. Invasion of the virus occurs through microdamage to the skin and mucous membranes with infection of predominantly immature, dividing cells of the basal layer, followed by replication of the virus and assembly of viral particles in the differentiated cells of the surface layer of the epidermis/epithelium. The entire development cycle of the infectious process is closely associated with the division of cells of the integumentary epithelium of the skin and mucous membranes and is not accompanied by signs of inflammation. In this case, HPV can have a productive or transformative effect on the epithelium. With productive exposure, benign neoplasms arise - papillomas, warts and condylomas of the skin and mucous membranes. The result of the transformative effect is dysplasia of varying severity, the progressive development of which leads to cancer [5].

Currently, more than 100 types of HPV have been identified that can infect the skin and mucous membranes and provoke the development of changes characterized by papillomatous growths. The human papillomavirus has tissue specificity—the ability of certain types of HPV to infect tissue specific to their localization. In this case, the type of virus determines the clinical features of the infectious process.

One of the most common pathologies resulting from infection of the skin and mucous membranes with papillomaviruses are warts, which are benign epithelial tumors.

Among warts, there are 8 clinical varieties, each of them is associated with certain HPVs: vulgar warts (1–4, 27th, 29th, 57th HPV genotypes); deep palmoplantar warts (1st, 3rd, 27th, 29th, 57th); mosaic plantar warts (2nd, 4th); cystic warts (60th); flat warts (3rd, 10th, 28th); “butcher’s” warts (7th); focal epithelial hyperplasia (13th, 32nd); verruciform epidermodysplasia (5th, 8–10, 12th, 15th, 19th, 36th) [1].

The group spread of warts, as a result of direct and indirect contact with patients, is characterized by a high incidence rate, amounting to 7–12% in adults, and up to 10–20% in school-age children [1]. The incubation period varies from 1 to 6 months, but can be over three years. Within two years, up to 40–65% of warts regress on their own. In other cases, they continue to increase in size and over time may become more resistant to therapeutic effects [1, 6].

The most common types of warts encountered in clinical practice are vulgar and flat warts. Vulgar warts, which are predominantly caused by HPV types 2 and 4, clinically present as multiple painless dense round gray papules with a diameter of 0.2–0.5 cm with an uneven, keratinized surface of flesh-colored or yellow-brown color, most often located on dorsum of the hands. However, rashes can also be located on other areas of the skin [7].

Flat warts, most often localized on the back of the hands, forearms, face and mucous membranes, are clinically presented as small multiple papules the color of normal skin. They occur in any age category, but are especially common in children and adolescents.

Currently, there are quite a lot of methods for treating warts; they are divided into destructive, chemical, and immunotropic. Depending on the specific clinical situation, preference is given to a certain method of therapy.

The most common methods for removing warts are the use of salicylic acid and cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen. The manual by J. Sterling et al. salicylic acid has been named the drug of choice for the treatment of flat warts on the face, as well as flat and common warts on the hands. Over-the-counter medications contain less than 20% salicylic acid, while prescription medications may contain up to 70% salicylic acid. However, 15–20% salicylic acid is usually sufficient to cure a wart. The use of salicylic acid preparations is considered first-line therapy in the treatment of common non-genital warts [1]. The effectiveness of this effect is quite high; cure is observed in 70–80% of patients [1, 8].

Given the ability of retinoids to influence keratinization processes, accelerating wart removal, some authors recommend their use orally and topically as a second line in the treatment of flat warts [6, 9].

Of the destructive methods in practice, cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen applications is the most widely used. The method is based on rapid freezing of intra- and extracellular fluid, which is subsequently accompanied by cell death and lysis during thawing. Most researchers estimate its effectiveness at 70–75% and recommend its use in the treatment of flat and simple warts as first-line therapy. The method does not require anesthesia or special equipment, large material costs, and is quite simple to implement, which greatly facilitates its use.

Laser therapy, which leads to necrotization of the tissue area with the wart as a result of coagulation of blood vessels, according to some authors, leads to a positive result in up to 50–80% of cases, but the recurrence rate is quite high and amounts to 4–22% [10]. At the same time, it should be remembered that long-term non-healing wounds are fraught with the addition of a secondary infection and the formation of scars at the site of removal. Therefore, it is recommended to use laser for plantar warts as a second-line therapy, and for common and flat warts as a third-line therapy [9].

The ability of HPV to persist in the human body and the formation of secondary immunodeficiency makes it advisable to include in the complex of treatment of patients drugs that disrupt viral replication and improve regeneration. Therefore, in world practice, local agents with antiviral and immunomodulatory effects are widely used to treat warts, the effectiveness of which increases significantly when used sequentially or in parallel in combination with methods of destruction.

At the same time, despite the seemingly wide variety of methods for treating warts, none of them provides a one hundred percent guarantee of a complete cure for the patient. Until now, despite the fundamental discoveries and achievements of modern medicine, for papillomavirus infection, unlike other viral lesions of the skin and mucous membranes, there are no specific treatment methods with an almost complete absence of systemic therapy. Every year, the statistics of HPV-related diseases are steadily worsening, the frequency of recurrence of the pathological process remains high, which dictates the need to search for drugs and new techniques that increase the effectiveness of therapy. This problem becomes especially relevant when it comes to young patients, where it is necessary to eliminate the risk of unwanted drug reactions and complications as much as possible. According to many studies, the most effective method of treating HPV-induced skin tumors is a combination one, combining the simultaneous or phased use of local destructive effects and the systemic use of antiviral and immunoprotective agents. Since only destruction, according to a number of authors, gives a high percentage of relapses within six months, and warts in most cases appear on the same areas of the skin as before. This is probably explained both by the stages of the HPV life cycle, the DNA of which can be detected at a distance of up to 1 cm from the visible boundaries of the tumor, and by a violation of general and local immunity [4].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combination therapy for flat warts in children, including the interferon drug Genferon Light and cryodestruction with liquid nitrogen.

Material and research methods

We observed 73 children aged 2 to 9 years with a diagnosis of human papillomavirus infection of the skin, with clinical manifestations in the form of HPV-induced flat warts. The duration of the disease varied from two months to 2.5 years. Almost 90% of children (65 patients) had previously been treated for this disease with local antiviral drugs for 2–3 months, without effect. Warts were localized mainly on the face and the back of the hands. The number of elements on the skin ranged from 2 to 9. All patients were divided into two groups, 35 and 38 children in the first and second, respectively.

In the first group, patients were treated with a destructive method using liquid nitrogen in the form of cryomassage. The applicator with a cotton swab was placed parallel to the surface of the skin and moved with rapid rotational movements with slight pressure over the treated area until the skin became slightly pale. The procedure was repeated 3–5 times depending on the patient’s skin reaction at short intervals (1–2 minutes). More pronounced, raised warts were frozen additionally, with the applicator positioned perpendicular to the lesion, without pressure, for 10–15 seconds, without affecting the surrounding skin. The number of procedures varied from 4 to 5–6. A repeat session was carried out after the reaction (hyperemia) caused by the procedure disappeared. The interval between procedures was 3–4 days.

In the second group, in addition to cryomassage (cryodestruction), an immunomodulatory drug with an antiviral effect, Genferon Light, was simultaneously prescribed according to the following regimen: 1 suppository rectally 2 times a day with a 12-hour break for 10 days before destruction and for 10 days after destruction, in appropriate cases age doses (a single dose for children under 7 years old was 125,000 IU, for children over 7 years old - 250,000 IU). Genferon light, specially created for a special category of patients (pregnant women and children), contains a reduced dose of active ingredients (interferon α-2b (IFNα-2b) at a dose of 250,000 IU and taurine at a dose of 0.005 g). IFNα-2 has pronounced antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. The amino acid taurine has antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing properties, which significantly increases the biological activity of IFNα. All patients were recommended to wipe their skin with a 2% solution of salicylic alcohol as skin care during the treatment period. To prevent the occurrence of hyperpigmentation at the site of removed warts, it was recommended to avoid active insolation for 5–6 months and use sunscreen. The effectiveness of the treatment was assessed by the absence of clinical manifestations of the disease during the year.

results

At the end of therapy, a complete absence of skin rashes (as a result of exfoliation of the stratum corneum along with warts) in the first group was observed in 23 children, which amounted to 65.7%. In 2 (5.7%) patients in this group, flat warts were partially preserved, in 6 (17.1%) children there was a relapse within 1–2 months, in 4 (11.5%) there was a relapse within six months, which required in the future, additional therapy will be prescribed in the form of a combination of cryodestruction with the immunomodulatory drug Genferon light.

In patients of the second group, who received Genferon Light in addition to cryomassage, the effectiveness of therapy was 92.1% (35 children), relapse was recorded in 3 (7.9%) children by the end of the year of clinical observation, and reinfection could not be excluded.

Tolerability of Genferon Light was good in all children. No side effects from the therapy were recorded.

Thus, the inclusion of the immunomodulatory drug with antiviral effect Genferon Light in the complex treatment of flat warts in children can significantly increase the effectiveness of therapy, avoid complications and unwanted drug reactions, which is extremely important in this category of patients.

Literature

1. Khlebnikov A.N., Selezneva E.V., Dorokhina O.V. // Bulletin of Dermatology and Venereology. 2015. No. 1. pp. 122–128.
2. Manykin AA Papillomavirusa // Medical virology under editions Lvova DK 2008. P. 269–276.
3. Kungurov N.V., Kuznetsova Yu.N., Gorbunov A.P., Tolstaya A.I. Combined method of treatment of palmoplantar warts // Pharmacotherapy in dermatovenerology. 2011. No. 2. P. 62–69.
4. Molochkov A.V., Khlebnikova A.N., Lavrov D.V., Gureeva M.A. Genital papillomavirus infection. Tutorial. 2010. 10 p.
5. Rogovskaya S.I. Human papillomavirus infection in women and cervical pathology. M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2005. pp. 15–17.
6. Belyaev V.V., Myasnikov L.L. Plantar, flat, vulgar warts: modern approaches to treatment // Clinical dermatology and venereology. 2012. No. 6. P. 55–58.
7. Stirschneider Yu. Yu., Volnukhin V. A. // Vest. dermatology and venereology. 2013. pp. 65–70.
8. Cockayne S., Hewitt C., Hicks K. et al. EVerT Team. Cryotherapy versus salicylic acid for the treatment of plantar warts (verrucae): a randomized controlled trial // Br. Med. J. 2011: 342: d3271.
9. Bacelieri R., Johnson S. Cutaneous Warts: An Evidence-Based Approach to Therapy // Am Fam Physician. 2005, Aug 15; 72(4):647–652.
10. Mavrov G.I., Shcherbakova Yu.V., Chinov G.P., Nagorny A.E. Methods for diagnosing and treating skin lesions caused by the human papillomavirus // Dermatology and Venereology. 2010. No. 2. P. 49–60.

E. I. Yunusova1, Candidate of Medical Sciences L. A. Yusupova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor G. I. Mavlyutova, Candidate of Medical Sciences Z. Sh. Garayeva, Candidate of Medical Sciences

GBOU DPO KSMA Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Kazan

1 Contact information

Types of warts in children

A child’s wart on a finger, arm, or leg may be one or several. The main types of warts in children include:

• simple. They are also called ordinary or vulgar. This is the most common type. If there are several of them, then they can merge to form one root;
• flat (another name for youthful). They often merge, forming one root, usually small in size, and can line up in one line;
• spines. They arise in the area of ​​the sole, grow deeply, which negatively affects the nerve endings;
• filiformes. Large, saggy, finger-shaped, natural skin color.

If the skin in the affected area has a gray or brown tint, this indicates the presence of a vulgar wart. Juvenile warts have a yellow or burgundy tint. The spines cause pain when walking, it is recommended not to put off visiting a doctor. Filiform warts can appear on the face and neck, which not only causes discomfort, but also looks unaesthetic. Among the presented list, there may be situations where warts are removed for children; treatment is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

When to see a doctor

The first signs are a reason to consult a dermatologist. Remember that warts in children do not go away on their own; one formed papilloma will lead to the formation of others; they can unite to form one root. Such warts grow deep into the skin, causing discomfort, various diseases, and health problems. The virus will deplete the child’s immune system, he will become lethargic, inactive, and will often be susceptible to various diseases. JSC “Medicine” (clinic of Academician Roitberg) employs qualified doctors, uses modern equipment and the latest treatment methods. Make an appointment with a dermatologist, he will conduct an examination and select an effective treatment. The clinic is located in the center of Moscow.

Where to go if a child has warts?

If parents notice any skin growths or neoplasms in their child, it is recommended to consult an experienced doctor as soon as possible, who will determine an accurate diagnosis and recommend effective treatment methods . Warts can sometimes be confused with nevi or manifestations of lichen planus. In this regard, independent treatment, especially in relation to a child, is unacceptable. The specialist will not only tell you how to treat warts in children, but will also give advice on the need for therapy. The fact is that some types of neoplasms can spontaneously disappear as the child grows. If the formation is located on the face and causes significant aesthetic discomfort to the patient, there is no need to delay solving this problem.

Removing warts in children

If the papilloma is in an open area, the child needs to remove the wart immediately. For this purpose, JSC “Medicine” (clinic of academician Roitberg) uses the following methods:

• operation;
• electrocoagulation;
• laser use;
• cryotherapy.

During surgery, warts are removed in children using a scalpel. In all other cases, special equipment is used. The choice of removal method depends on various factors: benign or malignant formation, its “age”, location, multiple or single, etc.

Operation

This method does not apply to small children. Before starting the procedure, local anesthesia is administered and removal is performed with a scalpel. Afterwards comes the postoperative period, the duration of which reaches several weeks. This is necessary to avoid infection in the wound. The surgery is performed in a clinic.

Electrocoagulation

The procedure involves the use of a special apparatus consisting of an electrode shaped like a loop. The loop is heated using an electric current, applied to the affected area, and under the influence of high temperature the papilloma is destroyed.

You can remove a wart from a child in this way under local or general anesthesia.

This is an effective treatment method; after the procedure, the area is treated with an antiseptic. A crust forms at the site of removal, which disappears after a week (maximum 10 days). A scar may remain at the site of formation.

Laser Application

An effective treatment method that is non-contact. The laser beams penetrate deep into the skin, affecting only the affected area, and there is no bleeding. This is a painless method of removal, the procedure lasts a few minutes, the wound heals without side effects or complications. The advantage of the method is the absence of marks on the surface of the skin, which is important for open areas.

Cryotherapy

The procedure involves the use of liquid nitrogen, the wart is frozen under the influence of low temperatures. The procedure does not cause bleeding; several sessions are required to completely remove the papilloma. A scar may remain; after the procedure, a blister appears at the site of formation, which over time turns into a crust and disappears. The procedure is not recommended for young children. Regardless of the method used, after the procedure you need to make every effort to strengthen the baby’s immune system. This will help avoid re-formation of papillomas.

Common (simple, vulgar) warts

Common warts are dense, dry growths characterized by an uneven and rough surface to the touch, variable size and rounded shape. They look like a hard, keratinized bubble up to 1 cm in diameter, significantly rising above the surface of the skin.

The surface of common warts is often covered with grooves and projections, which is why the new growth vaguely resembles a cauliflower or raspberry with black dots inside.

This is the most common type of wart, accounting for up to 70% of all such skin neoplasms. Simple warts can appear on the skin at any age, but most often they affect children and young people. This is due to the fact that they have weaker immunity than adults.

Common warts usually appear on the hands (fingers and backs of the hands), knees and elbows, sometimes on the face or feet, and extremely rarely on the mucous membrane of the mouth.

A scattering of small growths may form next to the large “parent” wart. Young neoplasms usually remain flesh-colored; over time, they acquire a dirty gray or grayish-brown tint, less often yellow or pinkish. This is due to their uneven porous surface, which accumulates dirt.

Vulgar warts usually do not cause concern: they do not cause unpleasant symptoms, do not hurt or itch. However, they may cause pain if they are in areas subject to impacts or in contact with clothing. The growths may heal on their own over time, especially if they occur in childhood.

Treatment

Treatment of warts in children is carried out under the supervision of a doctor. The specialist can prescribe both removal of the papilloma and select an intensive course of treatment consisting of medications. There are cases when warts on a child’s leg are treated with a special patch, solution, or using folk remedies. Take into account! Folk remedies act as a preventive or additional method to the main drug treatment, but do not act as a separate way to get rid of warts.

Folk remedies

There are vegetables that have the same effect (freezing, relieving inflammation, cauterization) as medications and various procedures. A wart on a child’s leg or hands – what can be used:

• potato. Use it to make a compress at night;
• celandine. The juice is applied to the wart three times a day;
• celandine grass. It is mixed with medical Vaseline and applied to the site of the disease;
• garlic. Wrap in a sterile napkin and apply to the papilloma for 20 minutes;
• Apple vinegar. It is mixed with water 2:1, a swab is applied to the affected area;
• aloe. Apply the sheet to the wart, wrap the area with a bandage, change the sheet after it has completely dried;
• honey and onion, mix honey with onion juice. This method is not recommended if you are allergic to honey;
• tomato. Apply tomato pulp to the wart once a day.

Wormwood oil helps well; it can also be mixed with olive oil. Lubricate the area 4 times a day. The use of any medical product must be under the supervision of a physician. Take into account! If, after using folk remedies, the growth has dried out and fallen off, there is no guarantee that the wart has been completely eradicated; it may remain in the middle, so it will soon appear again.

To treat or not to treat a wart in a child?

It is important to observe the warts before deciding on treatment. Most often they disappear on their own within two years or much earlier. But if pain appears, changes in the color of papilloma or their number increases, then you need to consult a doctor.

You can also get help from a specialist if you experience psychological discomfort from the resulting growths. Treatment of warts in children is carried out using traditional or clinical methods.

Wart on the back, face, nose - how to treat

These are special areas where the skin is delicate and sensitive. It is necessary to remove papillomas here with extreme caution so that there are no scars left (especially when it comes to the face area). The first stage of treatment is medication; a dermatologist may prescribe a gentle ointment, which should be used at night. The child may also be prescribed medications that stimulate the immune system. To remove papillomas on the face or back, specialists from Meditsina JSC (academician Roitberg’s clinic) recommend using laser therapy. This will allow you to avoid scarring after the procedure.

Determining the type of wart

Before starting treatment procedures, it is necessary to determine the type of wart. To do this, you need to carefully examine the appearance of the tumor and its location. The main types are:

Common warts, which are mainly localized on the hands and fingers of children, on the elbow and knee joints. They have a rough, rough surface and discolored skin.

Flat neoplasms are yellow or pink in color and appear smooth and even in appearance. Occurs in children and adolescents during puberty.

The main place of their localization is the nasolabial triangle, so treatment requires the intervention of professionals, otherwise scars and cicatrices may remain on the face.

Plantar warts mainly affect the foot area of ​​a child. Their surface is compacted and light beige or gray in color. When walking, the child feels discomfort.

The filiform type is characterized by damage to the mouth, nose or eyes not only from the outside, but also from the inside on the mucous membrane. Occurs infrequently.

What types of warts are most common? According to experts, these are plantar and ordinary.

Tips for parents

To avoid the formation of warts in children, teach your child hygiene, the use of personal soap and towels from childhood. Parents should monitor how correctly and carefully the child follows their recommendations. Hand washing is the first thing a child should do after walking outside and before eating. It is necessary to provide your child with healthy nutrition. It should consist of products containing calcium, fluorine, and iron. Include fermented milk products, fish, cereals, vegetables, and fruits in your diet. Cereals such as pearl barley and oatmeal. Food should contain a full range of vitamins and microelements.

Walking in the fresh air and playing sports are integral elements of a child’s life. This is what will help strengthen the baby’s immunity. If a child is injured, for example, falls and a wound forms, treat it with an antiseptic. Minimum stress – maximum benefit for the baby. If a wart appears, make an appointment with a pediatric dermatologist. Do not self-medicate, this may make the situation worse.

Clinical treatments

If treatment at home does not bring results, then, on the recommendation of a specialist, removal of warts in children is carried out using surgical methods:

• Freezing with liquid nitrogen is a painless procedure; discomfort is possible after thawing of the papilloma. Used for children who are unable to move during freezing.
• Electrosurgery is the use of electric current to treat common and plantar warts.
• Laser removal is a last resort. The procedure is painful, so it is performed with local anesthesia.

For all clinical procedures, immunotherapy is additionally prescribed.

How to make an appointment with a dermatologist

You can make an appointment with a pediatric dermatologist at Meditsina JSC (academician Roitberg’s clinic) by phone. Also use the feedback form by sending a request using the website, or order a call. We employ qualified doctors with many years of practice. Remember that self-medication can lead to serious consequences. Experts say that most ointments for the treatment of warts actually only mask the symptoms, but do not get rid of the disease itself, so only a specialist should prescribe medications and choose a method of removal after conducting the necessary examinations.

The clinic is located in the center of Moscow, treatment is carried out using modern techniques, devices, and equipment. The doctor will advise you on any issue, carefully study the symptoms, the source of the disease, conduct diagnostics, prescribe tests, and select an effective way to remove warts in children.

Causes

The appearance of warts in children and adults is associated with infection with HPV (human papillomavirus), which is transmitted through household contact. It has already been scientifically proven that 70% of people are carriers of this virus.

There are over 60 species or types of viruses that appear with these easily recognizable warts. However, the big disadvantage is the ease of infection.

Other reasons that contribute to the appearance of warts in children are:

• weak immunity;
• positive HIV status;
• skin diseases;
• increased sweating (hyperhidrosis);
• disruption of circulatory processes.

Also, contact with any contaminated surface increases the risk of infection. Not all warts are viral, so some are simply due to genetic predisposition or diseases such as diabetes. The name of this type of wart is acrochordons. They are not passed on to other people.

Warts that occur due to HPV can be passed on to another person through direct contact, with children being most susceptible. The incubation period from the moment of infection to manifestation on the skin is 1-8 months.

Mosaic plantar warts

Mosaic warts are a special type of neoplasm. They are plaques, so-called clusters, formed as a result of the fusion of many small plantar warts tightly pressed together. The arrangement of the plaques resembles a mosaic (hence their name).

This formation is usually observed in a small and localized area. It can reach a diameter of about 6-7 cm. In the early stages of development, mosaic warts look like small black punctures. As they develop, they take on the appearance of a white, yellowish or light brown cauliflower, with dark spots in the middle. These spots are formed due to thrombosis of blood vessels.

This type of wart is quite rare. They usually affect the hands or soles of the feet, and are especially common under the toes. Unlike simple plantar warts, mosaic warts cause little or no pain when walking because they are flatter and more superficial.

Mosaic warts are highly contagious. They are difficult to treat due to the multiplicity of foci of viral infection. The success of treatment is facilitated by its timely initiation. As a rule, mosaic growths are prone to recurrence even after surgical removal.