Red wart

Unlike other warts, a typical red wart is not related to the human papilloma virus. However, the etiology of the neoplasm may be different. In addition, such a neoplasm often has an unaesthetic appearance and can cause discomfort. Is it difficult to get rid of such a wart, and how to do it correctly so as not to harm?

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Causes red wart

Experts cannot pinpoint the exact cause of the formation of a red wart: presumably, the etiological factor may be a congenital anomaly or acquired problems with blood vessels and the circulatory system.

The red color of the growth is due to its origin: it has a vascular structure and is filled with blood. Most often, such a structure is represented by tiny capillaries, and the more such vessels, the larger the wart.

Red warts most often appear in adulthood, and the following factors contribute to their appearance:

• traumatic damage to the skin (scratches, cracks, combs, punctures);
• changes in the skin caused by sudden weight loss or, conversely, weight gain (a wart may appear in a fold or in an area of stretched skin);
• hormonal changes (meaning sudden changes – for example, during pregnancy, menopause, when taking hormonal contraceptives, with hyperthyroidism, etc.);
• liver disease, chronic pancreatitis;
• tumor processes.

In early childhood, the appearance of red warts is often associated with impaired development of the vascular network, or with intrauterine hypoxia.

Symptoms red wart

Red warts can appear anywhere, on any part of the body. Many people notice such formations on themselves and live with them all their lives without taking any action.

Red warts are benign skin growths, and the causes of their occurrence are not always known.

Depending on their location on the body and their shape, growths are divided into several types.

Thus, flat red warts on the body are most often formed in the face, on the head, limbs (hands, feet). The average size of these growths is 0.5-3 mm. Some such formations disappear on their own after a while, and some have to be removed after long-term ineffective treatment.

A common red wart on the hand and fingers is almost always quite painful and interferes with movement. Its appearance resembles a callus, but its structure may be loose in appearance. The most common cause of growth on the limbs and fingers is mechanical damage to the skin.

A red wart on the leg is most often found either on the foot or below the knee joint. It can bother you when walking, get damaged by clothing or shoes. It is recommended to remove such warts first.

Red warts on the face and head should never be removed independently. It is in this area that there is a high risk of infection: it is better not to take risks and contact a specialized clinic with an experienced dermatologist.

If you follow the process of the appearance of a red wart, you will first notice the formation of a barely noticeable mesh of tiny capillaries. Then, a spot resembling a small red dot forms in the same place. After some time, the dot grows, an outgrowth is formed - flat or protruding, bumpy. For each specific patient, the appearance and localization of neoplasms may differ significantly.

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Forms

A common red wart can be located on almost any part of the body. It looks like a dense red nodule, and can also have a yellowish or pinkish tint.

Smaller growths sometimes appear around the wart. The skin over the normal growth is dry, rough and flaky.

A flat red wart is most often located in the face or on the hands: it looks like a small elevation above the skin. Sometimes such a formation looks like a callus, with a compacted horny layer. If it is located near the nail, it is called a periungual growth. Often such a growth is formed due to injuries and regular nail biting.

Red warts on the scrotum and genitals often have a pointed or flat shape. They appear in sexually active adults. There are quite a lot of such neoplasms, they can be periodically injured, disrupting the normal course of sexual life.

Complications and consequences

A red wart rarely causes complications if you do not touch it, do not injure it, and do not try to get rid of the growth yourself. Otherwise, the consequences may be as follows:

• the wart may increase in size and spread into multiple rashes;
• Infection, suppuration, and development of an inflammatory reaction may occur;
• a red wart can bleed heavily if damaged;
• Rarely, a wart can become malignant.

To avoid trouble, the neoplasm should be removed by a qualified specialist. There are many different medicinal, hardware and surgical methods for this. The most optimal method will be selected by the doctor after assessing the existing contraindications and the general health of the patient.

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Diagnostics red wart

Determining typical red warts is usually not difficult for a doctor: the diagnosis is made immediately after examining and palpating the neoplasm. During the examination, the doctor takes into account the characteristic color, discoloration when pressing, localization and other signs.

If there are difficulties with diagnosis, as well as with ineffective treatment of red wart, it is advisable to conduct a histological examination. Histology helps to detect such nuances as epidermal acanthosis and papillomatosis, hyper and parakeratosis with long papillary elements. The capillaries of the dermis are well defined, and are often thrombosed, with the presence of mononuclear cells around the circumference. If the red wart is related to the human papilloma virus, then keratinocytes with an eccentric localization of the pyknotic nucleus with koilocytes will be detected. The infected structure may have small eosinophilic granules, and in condylomas, slight acanthosis and parakeratosis are detected. Sometimes koilocytes are determined in the latter against the background of an increase in the vascular pattern.

General tests are not necessary when diagnosing a red wart. If the presence of the human papilloma virus is suspected, a scraping is taken from the neoplasm and the material is sent for PCR diagnostics. This type of research helps to determine the type of HPV.

Instrumental diagnostics are usually limited to biomicroscopy of the skin, examination with a magnifying glass or Wood's lamp, and biopsy of the neoplasm.

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Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics of a red wart is carried out with lichen planus, in which a waxy shine and a reddish-purple color of the growth are detected. Warty cutaneous tuberculosis also requires differentiation: in this pathology, an inflammatory infiltrate and a purple-red halo are present in the growths along the periphery.

In complex cases, a biopsy is used for differentiation – a microscopic examination of tissue taken from the wart. The procedure is carried out in a clinical setting, using special diagnostic equipment.

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Treatment red wart

Most people do not need any treatment for red warts or rush to get rid of them. Doctor's help is only necessary in certain situations:

• if the wart suddenly becomes painful;
• if itching or swelling appears around the neoplasm;
• if the red wart starts to bleed;
• if the growth continues to increase in size;
• when the color of the wart changes from red to darker or even black.

Regarding the treatment of a red wart, people usually consult a dermatologist. You should not immediately go to beauty salons or other institutions that promise to remove a red wart without a trace: first, you need to undergo diagnostics and make sure that this is really a wart-like formation, and not another dangerous pathology.

Most often, red warts are removed surgically. But there is also medication treatment, which in some cases can be effective. Such treatment can be different:

• with the use of hormonal drugs;
• using local sclerosing agents that cause necrosis of growth cells.

Both the first and second methods are used only by a medical specialist, taking into account all possible risks and contraindications.

Some pharmaceutical preparations can also help with common red warts:

• keratolytic-based patches (with lactic or salicylic acid);
• applicators with a gel base containing 40% trichloroacetic acid.

Among the most famous and popular plasters are such as "Salipod", "Ultra Profi House", "Suda Epitakt", etc.

Medicines that a doctor may prescribe

If the viral origin of the red wart is proven, the doctor will definitely prescribe antiviral treatment. Local application of the appropriate drugs prevents the spread of infection to healthy areas in cases where the red wart is impossible or difficult to remove. For this purpose, oxolinic ointment, Viferon or Tebrofen ointments are used. The dosage and duration of therapy are determined by the doctor.

Sometimes rubbing in 5% fluorouracil ointment, 0.5% colchamine ointment, 20% interferon, and trichloroacetic acid is practiced.

Orally, magnesium oxide can be prescribed in the amount of 0.2 g three times a day for 14-20 days. Local use of drugs containing salicylic and benzoic acid, tretinoin is indicated. The frequency of use of such ointments is twice a day, for several weeks.

Sclerotherapy can be used for hemangiomas. The essence of this method is that a sclerosing substance is injected into the red wart (often 70% ethyl alcohol is used as such a substance). This treatment is effective, but quite painful and lengthy.

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Folk remedies for red warts

There are several known methods by which many patients were able to get rid of a red wart in normal home conditions. Let's say right away: before using such methods, it is better to consult a doctor, since not all neoplasms are allowed to be treated with folk methods.

The recipes that we will give below have helped many people to cure red warts.

• Peel a ripe banana, cut it into square pieces (approximately 2 by 2 centimeters), according to the number of warts. Place crushed garlic on the soft side of each piece. Apply the garlic side to the wart, secure with a bandage.
• Grate a washed raw potato on a fine grater (no need to peel it, just wash it). Apply the grated mass to the red wart, cover with a piece of gauze, bandage and leave for several hours.
• The Kalanchoe leaf is cut lengthwise, the cut side is applied to the wart, and removed after a few hours.
• Two tablespoons of wormwood are poured with one liter of boiling water, infused for half an hour, and used to apply compresses to the area of the red wart.
• Take crushed horse chestnut leaves, pour boiling water over them at a rate of 1 tbsp. of leaves per 0.5 l of water. Infuse for half an hour under a lid. Use for baths (especially convenient if red warts are located on fingers, hands or feet).

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Herbal Therapy: Additional Help

• The red wart is treated daily with fresh juice of the golden mustache plant, and then with castor oil. The course of therapy is about a week.
• Apply dandelion or celandine juice to the red wart up to six times a day. The duration of treatment depends on the size of the formation and can range from 2 weeks to one and a half months.
• Grind several red rowan berries, apply the resulting gruel to the wart, secure with a bandage, and leave overnight.
• Treat the red wart daily with a pharmacy tincture of propolis or juice of the plant garbage bug.
• Gently rub ground powdered larkspur into the wart area.

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Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment can be added to the main treatment when there are numerous growths of red warts, or when the number of growths is persistently increasing.

Homeopathy is safe, so it can be used to treat patients of any age, and even women during pregnancy. However, you cannot select medications yourself: this is usually done by a homeopathic doctor, who takes into account a lot of nuances that are important for quality treatment.

At the initial stage, homeopathic preparations are prescribed in a special dosage to prepare the body for the best possible response. The main course involves the use of an increased amount of the remedy. Most often, the treatment course is designed for 2-4 weeks.

To get rid of red warts, the following homeopathic preparations can be used:

• Antimonium crudum - especially recommended for removing warts on the extremities;
• Causticum – suitable for removing soft, wide, red warts, including those located on the face;
• Argentum nitricum - can be used for localization of warts on the genitals;
• Thuja – used for multiple growths and when the problem reappears.

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Surgical treatment for red wart

Today, there are several known methods that allow you to radically get rid of a red wart:

• The cryodestruction method, better known as "cauterization" with liquid nitrogen. Usually, one or two procedures are enough to remove a red wart. The neoplasm disappears almost without a trace. The downside of this method is the impossibility of accurately controlling the depth of freezing penetration, so sometimes the treatment has to be repeated.
• Laser removal is a common and most comfortable way to combat a red wart. The laser procedure is performed in two ways: coagulation using a carbon dioxide laser or using an erbium laser. The red wart is removed layer by layer. The procedure may require local anesthesia for up to 2 minutes. Subsequently, a small depression remains in the area where the wart was previously, which disappears within a few weeks.
• Electrocoagulation is the removal of a red wart using high-frequency current. After the procedure, a scab remains on the treated area - a kind of crust, which after some time is rejected, exposing healthy skin. As a rule, there are no traces of the former growth. But with deep-set warts, this method is not recommended, since after deep exposure, a noticeable scar may form on the skin.
• Surgical excision is a relatively rare method of getting rid of a red wart. It is used if the neoplasm is deeply embedded: it is surgically excised, after which stitches are applied. Care is provided as for a normal postoperative wound. After healing, a scar forms at the site of the operation.

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Prevention

Unfortunately, there is currently no specific way to prevent the appearance of a red wart. However, doctors share proven advice on how to minimize the risk of such a problem. Here are some of these important recommendations:

• You need to train yourself and your loved ones to wash your hands thoroughly when you come in from outside.
• You should be careful about visiting a bathhouse, sauna, solarium. If you have never visited a bathhouse before, consult a doctor about possible contraindications. Do not sunbathe in a solarium or under the sun's rays during the active period of the sun, do not stay on the beach for a long time, avoid sunburn.
• It is important to protect the skin from any damage. And if such damage does occur, then you need to properly treat the wound and, if necessary, consult a doctor.
• It is necessary to monitor your health, adjust your diet, and avoid metabolic disorders. The diet should include a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, and it is also necessary to maintain a balance of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. No less important is the refusal to drink alcohol and to smoke.

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Forecast

In most cases, a red wart does not pose any danger to the patient's health: it can only cause certain aesthetic inconveniences. However, if such a growth is located in a place that is often subject to mechanical irritation, then this can really lead to the development of complications. Such places include feet, areas of tight fit of elastic bands, straps or other elements of clothing.

The use of folk methods in relation to warts is not always approved by doctors: sometimes there are adverse consequences in the form of ulcerations, infection, suppuration, and increased growth of the formation.

In general, the prognosis can be classified as favorable. Due to the unclear etiology of the problem, it cannot be guaranteed that after removal the red wart will not appear again - in the same or another place.

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