Chicken wart on the leg, arm: how to get rid of, remove?

The so-called chicken wart is a common benign growth that can be of different sizes and is localized mainly on the feet. For this reason, the chicken wart is often called "plantar". Other popular names for such a neoplasm are also known - for example, "chicken callus", "chicken ass", etc.

A wart of this type can form in any person, regardless of gender and age. The underlying cause of the disease is the presence of the papilloma virus (HPV), which can be transmitted from person to person by contact and household means.

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Epidemiology

Experts claim that more than 80% of the inhabitants of our planet are infected with some type of papillomavirus. There are more than a hundred such types. Among them, about four dozen provoke the development of neoplasms on the mucous tissues of the genital area. Several other types do not reveal themselves with any dermatological manifestations, but can cause the development of malignant tumors.

Human papillomavirus types 1-4 stimulate the growth of chicken warts on the plantar surface of the feet.

According to the same statistical information, chicken warts are more often found in women, less often in men, and very rarely in small children. There is no hereditary predisposition to attack by this virus.

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Causes chicken wart

A chicken wart is often mistaken for a common callus. However, these neoplasms differ significantly from each other - and, above all, in the reasons for their appearance. A chicken wart always occurs when the papillomavirus is activated, which a person becomes infected with in such situations:

• direct communication with another person who is a carrier of the infection or has fallen ill with it;
• ignoring hygiene rules;
• using someone else's underwear, towel, washcloth, etc.

A chicken wart does not appear immediately after infection. A person can remain a carrier of the virus for a long time, the activation of which occurs only under certain conditions, in particular, associated with a sharp weakening of the immune system. To clearly answer the question about the reasons for the vigorous activity of the papillomavirus, it is necessary to identify individual risk factors, the combination of which can activate the infection and give impetus to the appearance of a wart.

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Risk factors

• Hypothermia, frozen feet, prolonged exposure to the open air in frosty and/or windy weather.
• Failure to comply with sanitary and hygienic rules, rare changes of underwear and socks, wearing low-quality and uncomfortable shoes, incorrect selection of shoes depending on the season.
• Lack of vitamins in the body, leading to disruptions in the immune system, dry and rough skin.
• Diseases that impair the trophism of the tissues of the lower extremities and, in particular, the ankle joints (varicose veins, diabetes mellitus, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis, etc.).
• Skin injuries (bruises, scratches, abrasions, abrasions).
• Alcohol abuse, heavy smoking, frequent use of antibiotics and other powerful drugs, poor nutrition with unhealthy foods.

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Pathogenesis

The human papilloma virus, which causes the formation of chicken warts, is widespread among people of all ages. The HPV virus is transmitted through direct contact with a carrier or an infected person, as well as with an infected animal. People often become infected from each other through household items, clothing, and shared items. After getting into a healthy person, the virus begins to rapidly multiply in the upper layers of the skin.

Cyclic infection (autoinfection) is also not uncommon. For example, the appearance of warts near fingernails can be caused by bad habits of biting nails, and the appearance of neoplasms on the heels is associated with regular cosmetic procedures that are accompanied by damage to the skin.

The human papilloma virus enters the bloodstream through microcracks in the skin, so people who often visit public baths, swimming pools, gyms, etc. are at the highest risk of infection. Also at increased risk are people working on poultry farms and involved in cutting meat.

When infected with the virus, the incubation period can last 6-20 weeks, but the first signs of infection are not detected in all cases: the disease can be asymptomatic for a long time.

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Symptoms chicken wart

As we have already said, a chicken wart can also be called a chicken butt: this unusual name is due to the fact that this formation has much in common with the corresponding part of the chicken's body. As is known, the appearance of a chicken butt is an opening with short feathers in the form of rods.

What does a chicken butt wart look like? A chicken butt wart has an uneven, rough and keratinized surface covered with multiple dark spots. The neoplasm can also be compared to a small cauliflower inflorescence.

At the initial stage of development, a smooth yellowish round spot is found on the skin. After some time, it increases in size, becomes brown and rough, and is covered with scales. A characteristic root-like outgrowth is formed in the central part.

The wart is located on a broad base and has a deep root. If left untreated, daughter formations are formed, merging over time into one noticeable element. Dark spots can be seen through the upper keratinized layer, which are nothing more than clogged tiny vessels.

A chicken wart on the leg, foot, heel, or toes rarely reaches sizes exceeding 20 mm in diameter. Most often, such a growth is single: multiple warts indicate a high concentration of papillomaviruses in the body, which requires long-term treatment with powerful antiviral drugs.

The neoplasm is most often found on the plantar surfaces of the feet, on the heels and toes. However, other parts of the body are not immune from the appearance of a pathological element on them. For example, a chicken wart on the hand is often localized on the finger phalanges, on the palm or the back of the hand and even on the elbows. Externally, such neoplasms can be taken for a dry callus, although characteristic signs are found on the cut: black dots and "roots" or rods.

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Chicken wart in a child

"Chicken butt", also known as chicken leg wart, also appears in children under the influence of the papillomavirus, which can get to the baby from parents or under other circumstances. For example, children are often injured, get abrasions, scratches, bruises. The papilloma virus is quite capable of penetrating the skin through such damage. The average incubation period lasts from a couple of weeks to six months, after which - under appropriate conditions - the wart begins to grow. As a rule, the child does not immediately notice its appearance, and does not even always inform the parents. Most often, the wart is "torn off" by the baby on his own, after which it grows again.

The neoplasm can be detected in children of any age, but before the age of five, the occurrence of such a problem is isolated.

In a child, as in an adult, a chicken wart can disappear on its own. But this does not mean that the baby does not need to be treated: the presence of the papillomavirus in the body will eventually lead to a relapse of the growths.

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Complications and consequences

If you ignore a chicken wart, over time it can grow deep into the tissues and cause not just discomfort, but also pain. A person experiences pain and discomfort when walking, and it becomes difficult for him to choose shoes.

Other complications of chickenpox may include:

• constant recurrence of growths;
• fusion of growths to form a wart of significant size;
• constant pain, bleeding when injured.

If a chicken wart grows on the fingers or in other places with more delicate tissues compared to the foot, and its treatment is ignored, the growth may become malignant. The risk of malignancy is also present in patients who self-medicate, trying to "burn out" or "etch out" the growth themselves. A specialist should remove a chicken wart.

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Diagnostics chicken wart

Externally, a chicken wart has much in common with a common callus formation, so it is quite problematic to independently distinguish one pathology from another. Even a doctor cannot always make an accurate diagnosis. In such a situation, instrumental diagnostics will be required - in particular, dermatoscopy. The procedure is as follows:

• the doctor scrapes off the top layer of the wart using special instruments;
• if there is no skin pattern after scraping, it can already be assumed that we are talking about a chicken wart;
• Further, blood tests are taken to determine HPV – human papillomavirus.

The method of early diagnostics of the presence of HPV is an analysis to determine antibodies to the papillomavirus. The disadvantages of this test: the impossibility of assessing the concentration and accurately determining the type of virus.

The Digene amplification test is more accurate: it helps to find out not only the concentration of the viral microorganism, but also indicates its type and even the degree of oncogenicity. The material for the study is a scraping.

The non-amplification PCR test is prescribed when there is a suspicion of malignant degeneration of the wart. The method is considered one of the most accurate.

Considering that the pathology extends not only to the superficial epithelium, but also to the epidermis, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound examination to assess the depth of the growth.

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Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics of chicken wart is carried out with common callus, angiokeratoma of Mibelli, lichen planus, warty tuberculosis of the skin, warty nevi, papular syphilides. Many patients are recommended to additionally consult a venereologist, oncologist, infectious disease specialist.

Treatment chicken wart

When starting treatment, it is necessary to take all measures to inactivate the papillomavirus in the body. If this is not done, it will be difficult to get rid of the chicken wart. How to overcome the virus?

Antiviral treatment is based on specific drugs, such as Acyclovir and Imiquimod. These medications suppress the development of the virus. At the same time, external action is taken on the wart, using ointments and creams, solutions, and patches. Treatment is prescribed taking into account the body's tendency to drug allergies.

To prevent the reappearance of chicken warts and to stimulate a speedy recovery, the doctor may prescribe drugs that affect the immune system. Local action drugs include Viferon or Panavir. Kipferon and Isiprinol have a general effect.

How to remove chicken wart at home?

Skin restoration and removal of chicken warts can be practiced at home - under the supervision of a doctor. For this, there are a number of drugs produced on the basis of antiviral or caustic components. We are talking about salicylic, oxolinic ointment, as well as camphor alcohol: a compress soaked in the drug is regularly applied to the wart. The proposed treatment can be long-term, but still effective.

Many people use a proven pharmacy product called Ferezol to remove chicken warts. This is a brownish oily liquid designed to remove calluses and other growths on the skin. Ferezol cauterizes and disinfects, but its use requires caution: if applied carelessly, it can cause chemical burns. The drug is applied to the wart continuously for 10-60 minutes. In about a week, a scab will form: after it is rejected, the treatment of the affected area is repeated. If necessary, 4-5 procedures can be repeated.

Medicines

Getting rid of chicken warts is a difficult and lengthy process. For most patients, doctors offer medications that stimulate the body's immune response and neutralize viral activity. The drugs Isoprinosine and Cycloferon are widely used. For example, Isoprinosine for chicken warts is taken daily for two weeks, in the amount of 2 tablets three times a day. This treatment is repeated twice with a break of one month. Patients note a positive result after a week from the start of therapy.

The therapeutic effect is significantly enhanced if ointments for chicken warts are used simultaneously with oral medications. The well-known salicylic ointment is often used, which not only relieves inflammation, but also disinfects and restores damaged epithelium. External medications are not absorbed into the systemic circulation, so the risk of side effects is minimal.

Viferon cream has also become widespread. The drug is used to treat skin affected by warts: twice a day for 3-4 weeks.

Many patients recommend using a special patch called Salipod for chicken warts. This remedy helps eliminate the problem in just 1-2 weeks. The patch is used according to the instructions included with it. Side effects during treatment are isolated and limited to local reactions (redness, itching).

Folk remedies

Removing a chicken wart using folk methods is possible only after consultation with a dermatologist. The fact is that such a growth, if treated incorrectly, can have complications, so it is better to consult a specialist in advance.

• Many people use celandine to get rid of many skin problems, including chicken warts. Treatment with celandine is simple: you just need to treat the growth with the plant juice several times a day. If the wart is located on the heel or another part of the body with rough thick skin, then before applying the juice, it is recommended to steam the skin or cut it off a little.
• You can also remove a chicken wart with garlic juice. This treatment is usually approached in a comprehensive manner and at the same time they try to add a sufficient amount of garlic to food, which helps to strengthen the immune system at the same time. The local procedure looks like this: the skin with the wart is well steamed, the keratinized layer is removed. A cut clove of garlic is applied with the cut to the growth and fixed with a plaster. The procedure is carried out at night, the plaster is removed in the morning. The treatment should last four weeks.
• To cure a chicken wart, peel a raw potato and grate it. Apply the resulting gruel to the area of the neoplasm, put cellophane on top and fix it with a bandage. Keep it overnight. Repeat the procedure daily until the problem is completely eliminated.
• A chicken wart located on the plantar area of the foot is neutralized with vinegar essence. A drop of essence is dripped onto the growth, doing this very carefully, trying not to touch healthy skin. The treatment is repeated every evening until the growth completely disappears.

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Herbal treatment

In case of recurring chicken warts, treatment is not only carried out externally: internal action on the problem is necessary by using infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants.

The most effective recipes are considered to be the following:

• Tea is prepared from lemon balm and oregano leaves (thyme), based on the proportion of 1 teaspoon of crushed plant per 200 ml of boiling water. The drink is drunk daily for three months. Two such courses should be repeated per year.
• Leaves of lemon balm and oregano, rose hips, and Manchurian aralia are kept in a thermos for three hours (proportion: 4 tbsp. of an equivalent mixture per 1 liter of boiling water). Drink the potion for a month, 1-2 glasses per day. Then take a break for 2 weeks, after which the course is repeated.
• Prepare yourself or buy in a pharmacy an alcohol extract of eleutherococcus or echinacea. Take according to the instructions, repeating two courses of treatment annually.

For baths and foot baths, you can use wormwood, celandine, or red rowan berries (proportion - 3 tbsp. raw materials per 500 ml of water). The duration of the bath is about half an hour, daily or every other day.

Homeopathy

Modern medicine can offer many ways to get rid of chicken warts. But treatment with homeopathic preparations is no less popular: homeopathy is often used when formations tend to relapse. Homeopathic specialists are confident that the preparations they offer will help achieve complete healing from the disease. The fact is that before prescribing a remedy, a homeopath takes into account every, even insignificant fact of disturbances in the body that could lead to the formation and growth of warts.

The following homeopathic remedies will help get rid of chicken warts:

• Antimonium crudum is especially effective in localizing growths on the foot;
• Thuja – effective for all types of warts;
• Causticum - will help remove soft and bleeding warts;
• Gepar sulfur – gets rid of flat warts of any type.

The dosage of the drug is determined by the doctor during an individual consultation. The patient must be prepared for the fact that at the very beginning of treatment the disease may worsen. Such a relapse may last for several days, after which the condition normalizes on its own.

You should not expect immediate results from homeopathy. Since the treatment affects multiple causes of pathology, some time is needed to neutralize them.

Removing chicken warts

If drug treatment for a chicken wart does not lead to the expected result, the doctor will insist on its removal. The removal procedure is carried out in a medical institution. In this case, you can get rid of the growth using several methods.

• Laser treatment allows you to remove a chicken wart layer by layer: a small spot resembling a burn remains at the site of the growth, which disappears almost without a trace over time.
• Cryotherapy, or cryodestruction, is another popular and effective way to eliminate the problem. After the procedure, liquid nitrogen is applied to the wart, a small blister forms on the site, which heals completely within a week.
• Surgical resection of a chicken wart is rarely performed – mainly when the growth is large. The intervention is performed under local anesthesia. The period of tissue recovery after resection is always longer, and a scar remains after the operation.

It is important to understand that even surgical removal of the problem does not guarantee the recurrence of chicken warts in the future. This is due to the presence of the human papilloma virus in the body.

Prevention

Without a doubt, it is easier to think about preventing chicken warts in advance than to try to get rid of the scourge later. In order to prevent infection with the virus and, as a result, to prevent the development of warts, it is necessary to listen to the following advice:

• In public places (meaning swimming pools, beaches, baths) you cannot walk without special shoes, use other people's shoes or hygiene items (washcloths, towels, etc.).
• Taking care of your own body, the skin of your feet and hands should be regular and high-quality: wounds and other injuries should be immediately and thoroughly treated with external disinfectants.
• Dry and rough skin needs to be softened and moisturized. Do not use rough peeling, cut or forcibly scrape off keratinized layers. It is useful to take a medicinal bath with herbs beforehand.
• With increased sweating, it is especially important to change socks and underwear frequently, as well as wear high-quality clothing and shoes made from natural materials.
• Healthy nutrition is the basis for a normal immune system and the absence of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is important to drink enough clean water, eat berries, vegetables, greens and fruits.

Forecast

A chicken wart can behave unpredictably: for example, it is believed that every second wart is prone to self-liquidation - over the course of several months or years. However, relapses of the pathology are found no less often, even if the neoplasm was successfully eliminated.

The state of the immune system plays no less a role in the disappearance of the disease. Thus, healthy immunity in combination with proper skin care and personal hygiene significantly improves the prognosis of the pathology. In addition, the chicken wart will not appear again if a person wears comfortable and high-quality shoes, eats properly and avoids visiting public baths and swimming pools.

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