The appearance of warts on the skin is a cause for concern. Knowing the causes of the anomaly helps reduce the likelihood of their occurrence. For such information, you should not turn to dubious sources. Various myths about how warts are transmitted often have nothing to do with reality.
This issue has been studied quite well by specialists in the field of medicine. The causes of appearance, methods of infection, methods of preventing skin formations have been studied in depth and in detail.
Can you get infected with warts?
To understand whether warts are transmitted from person to person, you need to know about the existence of their causative agent - papillomavirus. This infection has a large number of strains. They cause different types of growths on the skin:
Types of warts
- ordinary;
- threadlike;
- flat;
- genital warts.
A virus that can provoke the development of a wart is transmitted to a healthy person. The bumps on the skin themselves are products of infection activity in the body.
Most strains of HPV can only cause benign tumors. However, the sixteenth and eighteenth types can provoke the appearance of oncogenic varieties.
The human papillomavirus cannot be transmitted by animals, birds, or insects. Its carrier is only a sick person or objects that he touched. In the environment, the infection remains infectious for only a few hours.
A separate type of warts are senile warts. These formations occur in older people on any part of the body and are not transmitted infectiously. They have an oval or round shape. They are flesh-colored, brown, and black.
"On a note! Senile warts are not contagious, as they are not viral in nature. The reasons for their appearance are considered to be age-related changes in the body!”
Separately, we can distinguish senile warts, which appear in people aged
Ways of infection with the virus
Warts are transmitted through microcracks in the skin. There are several ways of infection:
- contact and household;
- sexual;
- during childbirth (if the mother has viral formations on the genitals).
If the mother has viral formations, they can be transmitted to the baby
The source of infection is only the infected epithelium of the spreader of the infection. Blood or saliva cannot be sources of the virus.
Cases of self-infection can often be observed. This happens if a person deliberately or carelessly rips off his own wart, and its particles remain on the fingers. In this case, new formations may appear both near the nails and in other places with which there was contact.
Plantar warts (thorns) are very contagious. This formation often appears on the soles of the feet. It looks like a heavily keratinized tubercle of skin that does not have very even outlines.
The HPV virus that causes spinules can be transmitted not only through direct contact with its carrier. Often the infection gets to the feet when they come into contact with the floor or rug, on which a person with a plantar wart has walked barefoot. In addition, you can earn a thorn if you wear the infected shoes of someone you know.
There is no need to doubt whether warts on the hands are contagious. The spread of HPV strains that cause this type of growth occurs both through a handshake and through common objects - handrails, door handles, towels.
The papilloma virus can be transmitted even through ordinary handshakes
Warts on the hands are especially actively transmitted among children. The tendency at this age to scratch them leads to the fact that the entire team is at risk of a very rapid spread of infection.
Infection process
Despite the fact that the human papillomavirus is transmitted very easily, warts do not always appear in its owner.
If the infection finds lesions on the skin and penetrates through them into the epithelium, then it encounters the body’s immune defense.
In most cases, at this stage, pathogenic microbes are destroyed, but sometimes they still manage to penetrate into the deepest (basal) layer of the epidermis and settle there. This is how the incubation period of HPV begins.
When exposed to favorable factors, the infection is integrated into the DNA of skin cells. The papillomavirus begins to change their structure, causing active growth of certain areas of the epidermis. New cells appear that are already infected with HPV.
After a few months, the skin is renewed. The layer of epidermis with the active papillomavirus appears at the top. Even if the wart has not yet formed, the skin in this area is already contagious.
Once the formation on the epidermis has formed, it may not bother you at all. Some growths go away on their own over time, while others remain unchanged for a long time. However, any viral warts are contagious. Their ability to be transmitted is not affected by color, size or location.
Do warts always appear after HPV infection?
After transmission of the virus from a sick person to a healthy person and its successful penetration into skin cells, growths on the epidermis may not appear. For many people, HPV remains dormant for many months, even years. The reason for this is a good immune system, which suppresses the activity of pathogenic microorganisms.
In order for the virus to become active and begin to provoke abnormal division of skin cells, leading to the appearance of a wart, it needs favorable conditions. These include:
Decreased immunity contributes to the activation of the virus
- Decreased immunity. The reason for this may be a respiratory or cold disease, changes in the body's protective properties during pregnancy, a transition period during growing up, stress, and poor nutrition.
- Skin injury. This often happens when shaving, careless mechanical hair removal, or scratching a cat.
- Increased sweating. This phenomenon can occur in people who are overweight. In this case, warts spread in the folds of the abdomen, under the breasts, and in the armpits. Wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes can cause increased sweating on your feet. In this case, plantar (plantar) formations occur.
- Failure to comply with basic hygiene procedures. Inflammation, fungal diseases, and dermatitis may appear on dirty skin. Such pathological processes cause damage to the skin and reduce its protective functions.
- Diabetes.
"Important! Getting infected with papillomavirus does not mean immediately becoming covered in warts. However, if you don’t want to test your own body’s resistance to HPV, you should follow certain preventive measures!”
The presence of papilloma virus does not necessarily lead to the immediate appearance of warts, but sooner or later they may appear
How to reduce the risk of infection?
There are no 100% ways to prevent papillomavirus from entering the body. However, following some recommendations will help significantly reduce the risk of developing a wart. To do this you need:
- perform daily hygiene procedures;
- wash your hands after interacting with a person who has skin lesions;
- do not allow sexual contact with a partner who has suspicious growths in the genital area;
- Be sure to treat cuts and scratches with an antiseptic;
- do not allow the soles of your feet to touch the floor in public places (swimming pools, saunas, baths);
- do not use other people's shoes. Wash, dry, ventilate yours;
- take care of the skin of your hands and feet; if cracks or wounds appear on the epidermis, immediately take measures to heal them;
- visit only those beauty salons that disinfect manicure accessories.
Compliance with preventive measures will help reduce the risk of human papillomavirus entering the body. However, even if infection occurs and warts begin to appear on the skin, you should not panic.
Most warts do not require removal, as they are not dangerous to health.
If there is a need to get rid of a wart for aesthetic purposes, then modern medicine offers a huge number of ways to do this quickly and painlessly.
Source: http://www.medware.ru/dermatologiya/zarazny-li-borodavki.html
Are warts contagious and how are they transmitted?
Warts are neoplasms on the human body, often of benign etiology, caused by various viruses. Has the appearance of nodules or papillae. The most common pathogen is HPV (human papillomavirus).
Warts - what are they and what do they look like?
This type of neoplasm is quite common in the modern world and many people are interested in the questions: are warts contagious or not? How are warts transmitted? Let's consider possible options for infection and development of papillomas (warts).
Types of warts
Common wart
Depending on the location and development characteristics, several types of warts are distinguished:
- Ordinary; The most common type of papillomas is not exceeding ten millimeters in diameter. This type does not cause pain, and they are most often localized in places with more frequent damage to the integrity of the skin (fingers, knees, neck), but ordinary warts can also be located on the skin of the entire body.
- Flat; the second name of this species is juvenile growths. This is due to their education in childhood or adolescence. Dimensions no more than four millimeters, surface smooth. Youthful growths protrude from the surface of the skin very slightly and have uneven boundaries. Such papillomas are localized mainly on the face or hands.
- Age-related warts (senile warts). These papillomas arise with age and this type of neoplasm should be given special care because of its ability to degenerate into oncology. The surface of these is loose and flat. The appearance resembles dark blots. The location of such growths is most often on the skin of the face, but they can also form throughout the body.
- Callous warts (plantar) - this type belongs to the category of ordinary warts, but their peculiarity is their localization on the feet. They are similar in appearance to calluses. They cause pain and interfere with walking. Are plantar warts contagious? Yes, this type of tumor can spread from an infected person to a healthy person. This subspecies is also called plantar growths.
- Threaded papillomas can occur in people of different age groups, but this type is most common in older people. Such warts are often subject to injury.
- Genital (pointed), prone to degeneration into malignant formations. They have a pointed shape, several can be combined into one and very quickly increase in size.
Are warts transmitted?
Taking into account that the cause of the formation of warts is considered to be infection, we can conclude: warts are contagious!
To the question “are warts transmitted from person to person?” You can give an absolutely precise answer - Yes! This method of transmission of neoplasms is possible. It is very easy to become infected with HPV, and therefore warts.
You can become infected with the papilloma virus through a simple handshake
Are warts on hands contagious? The answer is clear - Yes! A handshake between an infected person and a healthy person is enough. Infection can enter especially easily if there are damage, wounds, or scratches on the skin.
On a note! This virus is in the body of almost every inhabitant of the Earth, but they may not know about it. The manifestation of the virus and, as a result, the appearance of warts on the body can be caused by a decrease in immunity. A humid environment is considered a favorable factor for their habitat.
Methods of infection with warts
Neoplasms can be transmitted not only through close contact with a person suffering from the human papillomavirus. Let's consider several possible variants of infection and ways to protect your health:
- General baths and saunas - you must wear slippers (to avoid transfer of papillomas to the soles);
- Shoes are wet and dirty - air and dry shoes daily; When dirty, disinfect and wash the cloth;
- Dirty floors - regularly carry out wet cleaning, sometimes with a disinfectant;
- Cuticle injuries (for example, during a manicure in salons, where instruments may not be thoroughly disinfected) - if a cut could not be avoided, treat with 3% peroxide or ointment containing an antibiotic.
Which doctor should I contact to remove warts? An insufficiently disinfected instrument carries the risk of becoming infected with the papilloma virus. If treatment for warts and papillomas is not started on time, then in advanced stages they develop into…
Read more
Prevention of warts
A few simple rules that will help protect against the appearance of warts:
- Don't wear tight shoes. When walking in such shoes, the blood circulation of the skin is significantly impaired. This can lead to the development of papillomas if the virus is already hidden in the body;
- Try to avoid rubber shoes, as well as those made of low-quality material, which impede the passage of air. This causes increased sweating and the risk of developing fungal diseases. Taken together, there is a high probability of the appearance of neoplasms;
- Moisturize the skin of your hands. Their dryness provokes the appearance of microcracks, which makes it easier for viruses and infections to enter them;
- Fight excessive sweating of your hands. Humidity is a favorable environment for the emergence of the HPV virus;
- If circulatory problems occur in the fingers, it is necessary to urgently take measures to eliminate them (consult a doctor);
- Try to consume the required amount of minerals and vitamins, as well as at least 1.5-2 liters of clean drinking water per day. At the same time, the body’s immunity increases;
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene and prevention;
- Promiscuous sex life increases the risk of contracting genital papillomas or the immunodeficiency virus;
- Try not to take medications that affect the immune system (antibiotics) without a doctor’s prescription;
- Do not touch the papillomas of infected people;
- Do not use personal hygiene items that belong to another person;
- Spend more time in the fresh air;
- Don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly after visiting public places or upon returning from a walk.
Treatment
At the first signs of the appearance of warts, you should consult a dermatovenerologist as soon as possible. Together with a specialist, it is necessary to find out the cause of their formation and select treatment methods suitable for your specific case.
What to do if the wart begins to turn black?
Basic steps/actions to get rid of growths:
- Determining the etiology of the disease;
- Choosing the most effective removal method;
- Prescribing treatment against the virus (HPV) that causes the growths;
- Boosting immunity with medications;
- Compliance with the rules of prevention after treatment to avoid relapse of the disease.
Review of the best remedies against warts and papillomas - the article answers the question, which method to choose?
Possible removal methods
There are several options for getting rid of tumors that have already appeared, including the following:
- Freezing with liquid nitrogen.
- Laser removal.
- Cauterization with electric current.
Read more about the treatment of growths (warts and papillomas) in these articles:
Important!
Many people live with warts and papillomas, not even suspecting that they are already infected with this dangerous...
Read more
Remember that self-medication cannot lead to complete recovery.
It is necessary not only to get rid of the growth itself, but also to undergo full treatment against the papilloma virus, which can hide in the body, and if not treated sufficiently, the warts will return again and again.
We have already found out that warts are transmitted from person to person, which means it is imperative to take precautions and prevent the disease. Boost your immunity, and then perhaps you will no longer remember such a disease as warts.
Source: http://bolezni-kozhi.ru/zarazny-li-borodavki.html
The whole truth about whether warts are contagious
Many people are concerned about a simple question: are warts contagious? These unpleasant formations have appeared in almost all people at least once in their lives.
They not only create a cosmetic defect, but also lead to inconvenience when taking care of yourself: the growths get touched when shaving, wiping with a towel, wearing jewelry and clothes.
There are many beliefs and folk beliefs about what causes papillomas, however, not all of them are true. In order to avoid the appearance of warts, it is worth understanding the reasons that cause them.
Content
Human papillomavirus
For a long time it was believed that warts, like other benign tumors, arise spontaneously, without specific reasons or due to a combination of many harmful factors, such as radiation, carcinogenic substances, ultraviolet radiation, etc.
In the 70s of the last century, a breakthrough was made: the discovery of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which led to the appearance of growths. By 2000, more than 30 types of this virus were known, and today there are already more than 130 strains.
HPV enters the body through human skin and inhabits nerve endings located subcutaneously. It can remain dormant for a long time, sometimes the incubation period takes years or tens of years. When favorable factors appear, HPV begins to multiply, stimulating elements of the skin to pathological growth. Externally, this process looks like the growth of papillomas.
Various strains of the virus can affect not only the skin, but also the intestines, cervix, bladder, and prostate gland.
These types of infections almost always lead to the subsequent development of cancer of these organs. Skin cancer due to papilloma infection is an exceptional rarity, but, nevertheless, there are a number of strains that can cause cancer here too.
Factors contributing to the development and transmission of the virus
Fortunately, the presence of a virus alone is not enough for growths to appear, otherwise our entire body would simply be strewn with them. In order for HPV to begin to multiply, it is necessary to be exposed to external factors that suppress the immune system or reduce its protective functions:
- Decreased local immunity. HPV is waiting for the best moment to begin its activities. And what could be better than reducing the body's defenses? With hypothermia or constant exposure to various chemical and physical factors, the activity of immune cells decreases sharply. Favorable factors are created for the reproduction of HPV. This is especially common for plantar warts and growths on the fingers.
- Frequent contact with a person who already has growths. Any papilloma is a source of active viruses. Since there is no doubt about whether warts are contagious, it is easy to understand that an excess of viruses leads to an overload of the body's defenses. HPVs enter the nerve endings en masse, which is why the body is unable to fully protect itself from them. This contributes to the uncontrolled appearance and growth of tumors.
- Minor skin injuries. Private abrasions or scratches on certain parts of the body are a sure way to the appearance of new formations. Especially often, due to such injuries, papillomas appear in children who constantly receive skin damage during play or due to negligence. Violation of the integrity of the skin causes damage to the nerve endings infected with the virus, which can now freely exit the cell and begin to reproduce.
- Areas of the body subject to constant friction. You may have noticed that adults often suffer from warts in the armpit, perineal area, and neck. This is due to increased friction of the skin in these areas due to uncomfortable clothing or jewelry. In addition to the constant infliction of microtrauma, a local decrease in immunity occurs. This combination of two factors leads to the formation of warts.
Are warts sexually transmitted?
It has been noticed that in most cases it is men who transmit the disease to women, but recently the opposite has also occurred.
Contact with people who already have warts
It is extremely common to believe that even after a single handshake with a carrier of growths or touching the tumor itself, a healthy person will develop this disease. Despite the fact that it is known whether warts are contagious or not and how the virus is transmitted, one should not assume that a single contact will result in the development of the disease.
Protection from contact with someone who is already sick is necessary only during prolonged and close contact and the use of common objects.
If you cannot avoid close contact or using the same things, then follow a few rules:
- Try to wash your hands as often as possible, especially after contact with someone who has warts.
- Wipe common items with alcohol, sanitary napkins, any other disinfectants, or simply wash under running water and soap.
- Maintain the integrity of the skin on your hands. Avoid the presence of hangnails, scratches, abrasions and other defects through which the virus can penetrate.
Prevention of infection and spread
Knowing how warts are transmitted, it is easy to take measures to prevent their occurrence. Firstly, avoid hypothermia in the cold season; work with chemicals and ultraviolet sources only in protective clothing. Secondly, strengthen your general immunity by introducing a large amount of vegetables and fruits into your diet, and you can take multivitamins.
Thirdly, monitor your surroundings and the condition of your own exposed skin, because some of the most contagious are warts on the hands. When visiting swimming pools, water parks and other places where people walk barefoot, take flip-flops with you to avoid plantar growths.
When trying on shoes in a store, bring clean socks with you to avoid direct skin contact with the shoes.
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Source: https://CoriumMed.ru/borodavki/sovety-b/zarazny-li-borodavki.html
Are warts contagious or not?
Will you get a lump on your skin if you shake hands with an infected person? After all, there are a lot of such growths, and they are observed in almost every third person. This probably happens because the disease is transmitted by contact, or not entirely.
Very often, warts are detected in young patients and those in adolescence, in the elderly and in people who have weak immunity and are prone to the bad habit of biting nails. If you notice any formation on your skin, immediately go to a specialist.
An examination by a dermatologist is recommended. You should not delay going to the doctor, as some types of formations can soon develop into a malignant nature and cause cancer.
What is it and why can it appear?
A wart is a formation on epithelial tissue that appears due to the activity and development of HPV - the human papillomavirus.
Such a microorganism enters the human body in the simplest way. There are enough herbs and wounds for this, even the most microscopic ones.
After successfully introducing itself into the body, the virus strives to the very heart of the human cell - of course, to its nucleus. Here it shows high activity and soon begins division.
Even at an early stage, in the usual case, nothing suspicious is noted. An infected person does not even detect that he has contracted the infection, since the virus remains in an incubation period, which can be a couple of days, several weeks or decades.
It all depends on the immune system and human health in general. As soon as your immunity drops a little, the virus will immediately “awaken” and begin to create a lot of troubles in the form of growths.
Often, after one or two months, the skin changes - depending on the type of human papillomavirus, a wart appears on one or another part of the body (certain).
Dense spots are found in some areas of the skin. Lumps pop out. Over time, they only grow and form papillomas or warts.
In this way, it is determined whether warts are transmitted from person to person: since this is a disease of a viral nature, infectious, it is transmitted from person to person, that is, warts are contagious.
How can you get infected?
The possibility of infection is present in almost every person, because the human papillomavirus is transmitted through damage to epithelial tissue, even very small ones, such as scratches, abrasions and cuts, and almost everyone has this.
If everyone in your house has papillomas on their legs or back, this is evidence that the infection is inherited.
This can easily be explained in another way: everyone living at home has close contact, for which reason they are infected. How can the human papillomavirus be transmitted:
- if the rules of personal hygiene are ignored, a person uses a towel that is not his own, etc.;
- if a person touches a door handle, book or other objects touched by an infected person;
- if a person regularly visits public places, such as bathhouses and swimming pools;
- if a person shakes hands with an infected person;
- if a person uses a pen, paper, etc. belonging to an infected person.
It is very easy to catch papillomavirus, you just need to touch a handrail in public transport that a person suffering from HPV had previously touched, etc.
The likelihood of contracting an infection increases if a person wears uncomfortable shoes that do not fit the size or are made of synthetic materials. Because in this case, your feet will sweat all the time, and this is a more than favorable environment for all harmful microorganisms.
Surprisingly, the papilloma virus is quite resilient. It can live outside the human body for about two to three hours and during this time it can be transmitted many times.
Why did the disease appear?
Warts are what appear as a result of infection with the human papillomavirus. Transmission of infection can occur through direct contact with the patient or his objects.
Because immediately after entering your body, it does not begin to act, but, one might say, sleeps.
Activity will begin when you create a favorable environment. And this includes the following factors:
- regular experiences or severe single stress;
- strong fears, sudden fear;
- deterioration of the immune system;
- problems with any organs.
In this case, a person of any age category will become infected with warts.
This way, it becomes clear whether warts on the hands are contagious - they are transmitted by communicating with an already infected person or using his things. Viral diseases spread quickly, but cannot be completely cured. You can suppress HPV symptoms by seeing your doctor promptly.
Source: http://dermatolog03.ru/vpch/borodavki-zarazny-ili-net.html
Are warts on the hands and other parts of the body contagious, and are they transmitted from person to person?
Many people want to know whether warts on the hands and other parts of the body are contagious, since such growths appear quite often, like other skin blemishes. In addition to the fact that it looks unaesthetic, it also causes inconvenience to the person himself, and often to those around him. To understand whether this pathology is transmitted from person to person, you need to know the nature of its occurrence.
What is a wart
In short, a wart is the result of the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Once on the skin, infectious cells quickly penetrate the top layer even through the smallest cuts, wounds or abrasions.
Without stopping there, the virus enters the cell nucleus, where it begins to rapidly divide. The skin cell will then contain the genetic material of the human papillomavirus.
At first, HPV does not manifest itself in any way because it is in the incubation period. This may last a few days or several decades depending on the person's overall health. The infection begins to manifest itself after a decrease in immunity.
On average, after a few months, lumps and bumps on the skin will become visible. Over time, they grow and warts appear. Sometimes the growth and appearance of these formations on the skin may take longer.
Most often, such neoplasms occur in children and adolescents, in people with weakened immune systems, and in those who bite their nails. If you notice a growth on your skin, consult your dermatologist, as some types of skin cancer look like a wart.
Methods of infection
The fact that many people on Earth have these growths suggests that warts are contagious. Since warts are transmitted exclusively through injured skin (cuts, abrasions, wounds, scratches), and microtraumas exist on the body of almost any person, everyone is at risk.
Since children's delicate skin is regularly injured, they encounter this problem more often than adults.
All family members may have warts on their hands, but this does not mean that the human papillomavirus is inherited. It’s just that contact with an infected person occurs more often and in a narrower circle. The virus can be transmitted in the following ways:
- when using a shared towel;
- through the doorknob and other common objects;
- through a damp rug on the bathroom floor;
- when shaking hands;
- even when using another person's office supplies.
Read more Wart under the fingernail or toenail, removal methods
By and large, you can get infected anywhere: by holding a handrail on a bus if an infected person was holding it before, in an office, or by walking barefoot on the floor in a swimming pool.
Tight synthetic shoes cause feet to sweat, and this is an ideal environment for fungi and the human papillomavirus.
Those who wanted to know whether warts are transmitted from person to person may receive a positive answer. This is the only way infection occurs.
In the external environment, this virus lives for 2-3 hours, but during this time it can spread repeatedly. It may take several months or even years until a person infected with warts becomes aware of the infection.
The decisive factor will be stress, fear or a sharp deterioration in health. At this time, immunity drops, which gives impetus to the rapid division of virus cells.
Then warts can appear anywhere on the body of an infected person.
Sometimes, after the general condition of the body has stabilized, warts go away on their own without treatment. But most often they stay for a long time.
A sexually transmitted infectious growth is called condyloma. Such a tumor can occur after unprotected sex with a carrier of the virus. The culprit behind the appearance of genital warts is the same HPV, but belonging to a different strain.
Necessary prevention
Having dealt with the question of whether it is possible to become infected with warts from another person, you need to take measures to prevent infection. To prevent your skin cells from becoming the target of the human papillomavirus, you need to take preventive measures. First of all, follow simple prohibitions:
- do not walk with wet feet (wipe dry after washing, change socks often if your feet sweat);
- do not walk barefoot, especially in public showers and changing rooms;
- do not wear someone else's shoes;
- do not touch warts on other people;
- do not share towels.
Read more Laser wart removal
By following these rules, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of infection from other people.
If a wart appears, do not injure it by cutting or picking. An open wart is especially contagious, so you can further harm your own body by freely spreading the virus across the skin. This transmission is called secondary self-infection.
To prevent this, it is better to avoid self-medication and go to specialized centers where qualified specialists will remove the wart.
Traditional medicine is also used to remove these growths, but whether to resort to it or not, everyone decides for themselves.
Source: https://zemlvetl.info/zarazny-li-borodavki-na-rukah-i-drugih-chastjah-tela-peredajutsja-li-ot-cheloveka-k-cheloveku.html
Are plantar warts contagious? Are warts contagious? Video: “Human papillomavirus”
If you are surrounded by people with infectious skin lesions on their hands in the form of growths, then you need to know whether warts are contagious and how they are transmitted.
Warts are the result of a skin disease that is caused by human papillomavirus infection. They are usually round, small lesions that affect moist areas of the body with cuts and scrapes. The bulk of the growths are safe, but those located on the soles and other areas of the body where there is constant contact with clothing can cause itching and be painful.
Types of warts
There are many types of warts on the hands and other parts of the body, among them are:
- flat growths;
- simple formations;
- filiform growths;
- genital warts;
- plantar or horny growths;
- periungual and subungual papillomas.
What warts can be contagious?
Let's look at how warts are transmitted, whether they are contagious or not. The virus can be transmitted from person to person through close contact. You can become infected by touching a surface (rug or wet floor) that an infected person has previously come into contact with.
In rare cases, indirect infection occurs; the virus often affects women in a swimming pool or in the bathroom where carriers of plantar warts walked.
The virus can be transferred to the surface of the hands when scratching warts, after which other areas of the body can be affected. It may take several months for a wart to develop after infection. To minimize the spread of the virus, proper treatment of pathology on the hands should be ensured.
Choosing the right treatment
Simple growths are easy to treat and remove. To do this, you can use the following means: over-the-counter external preparations with salicylic acid, cimetidine to enhance immunity. Doctors may recommend freezing the growths with liquid nitrogen, laser treatment, or burning them off with an electric current.
After treatment of warts on the hands, they may fall off on their own. But a repeat course may be required to completely eliminate them.
There are also home remedies for treating warts. A popular method is to use adhesive tape, which is glued to the growth and remains in place for 5-6 days. After this, the tape is removed and the growth is soaked in water, cleaned off with a nail file or pumice stone. But this method does not provide rapid results and it may take several months to completely eliminate the pathology.
There is also no need to scratch the warts or try to cut them off. It is known that teenagers and children do not have special immunity to the virus, so they need to be taught to maintain hygiene. When treating the skin on your hands, you should carefully cut off the cuticle, treat the cut areas with an antiseptic, and minimize contact with infected people.
Source: https://lady-rose.ru/zarazny-li-podoshvennye-borodavki-zarazny-li-borodavki/
Are warts transmitted by person-to-person touch?
Warts are small growths on the skin that are viral in nature. They spoil the appearance, especially if they are on the face or hands, and some types of these formations can become malignant.
Because of the danger of growths, many are interested in the question of whether they are contagious, whether they are transmitted or not, and if they are transmitted, then how to behave in order to avoid infection when touched from person to person.
What measures should be taken to protect yourself if contact does occur?
Why do warts occur?
Until the seventies of the last century, it was believed that papillomas had no cause. Since the appearance of growths was observed in children and adults, and the incubation period could be up to several decades, the papillomavirus was discovered only fifty years ago. Namely, it is the cause of the appearance of various warts on the human body.
Human papillomavirus
A distinctive feature of a microbe is its mechanism of action. HPV spreads easily through contact. Once in the body, it remains in the blood without manifesting itself in any way. This lasts until the body's resistance decreases. As soon as the immune system weakens, the virus manifests itself by disrupting the mechanism of formation of new skin cells. Because of this, papillomas appear.
When finding out whether warts are transmitted, it is worth turning to official medical sources. They report that papillomas can be transmitted from person to person through household or sexual contact.
You can become infected both from a person who has noticeable manifestations of papillomavirus on the skin, and from someone whose virus is in an inactive state.
Characteristics of the disease
About 70% of people are infected with papillomavirus. But far fewer have to deal with warts. This circumstance is due to the specifics of the disease: while in the blood, the papillomavirus does not manifest itself until the immune system is weakened. For the disease to manifest itself, the body's immune system must weaken. This may happen due to:
- vitamin deficiency;
- stress;
- previous illness, due to which protective functions are reduced;
- failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
How is it different from other diseases?
There are different ways of transmitting condylomas and papillomas, which makes diagnosing HPV very difficult. Warts vary in structure and in some situations they can be confused with another disease. For example, a layperson may mistake warts on the genitals for herpes, which also causes genital rashes.
Only a specialist can accurately determine that the formations that appear are warts after taking the necessary tests.
Varieties
The appearance of new growths on the skin is determined by the location and type of virus. Currently, more than 130 types of HPV have been identified.
Some strains are difficult but treatable, others are incurable, which means the only way to deal with warts is to remove them.
And if almost every person can tell whether warts on the hands are contagious, then only a doctor can determine whether the tumor needs to be removed.
Removal of warts may be necessary if there is a risk of them developing into cancer. People are also forced to fight warts by the unpleasant sensations of having them on the body and the external unattractiveness of this phenomenon.
Localization
Regardless of how papillomas are transmitted, they can form in different parts of the body. Warts on the feet can occur in the area of the kneecaps, on the toes and on the walking surface of the foot.
The last type is called plantar (plantar) warts. Condylomas are concentrated in the genital area.
Formations on the hands, fingers and in areas of increased sweating - the armpits and inner parts of the elbows - are called papillomas.
Complications
The reason for the fear of warts is their ability to develop into malignant tumors. Not all warts that affect the skin subsequently become cancerous, but the risk of such a situation makes the human papillomavirus considered very dangerous to health.
Are warts contagious?
Considering how warts are transmitted and the fact that they contain a large concentration of the virus, it is easy to conclude that warts are contagious. Often people are looking for information about whether the disease is transmitted through hands or not. And many are interested in other methods and routes of transmission of this disease.
Routes of infection
So, are warts transmitted from person to person through a simple handshake, being in the same room, or other types of household contact? If you can prevent infection through sexual intercourse by using condoms or simply refusing contact with an infected partner, then traveling on public transport, being in the same office with a colleague and other encounters with people infected with the virus are inevitable.
Unfortunately, papillomas are a growth transmitted through contact, including household contact. The virus enters the body through wounds, microcracks and mucous membranes. Warts on the hands may not be transmitted through a single contact, because the human immune system protects him from the effects of viruses. But due to regular exposure of the viral agent to the skin, the likelihood of infection increases.
Indirect ways to become a carrier of the pathogen
Children often argue about whether you can get warts by going to a swamp and touching a toad. In fact, formations on the surface of the skin of amphibians have nothing in common with warts, so papillomas are not transmitted in this way.
But if you use a shared towel, neglect to observe hygiene rules and constantly come into contact with infected people, then you will have to find out whether warts are contagious already during treatment for the virus.
The first neoplasms most often appear in children, as soon as they are scratched or bruised.
Because warts are spread from person to person, there is a risk of contracting the infection in common areas such as toilets.
Diagnostics
Which doctor treats warts depends on the location of the growths and their nature. Initially, if growths are detected, you will need to visit a dermatologist. He will prescribe additional examinations that will confirm or refute the presence of papillomavirus in the body, and also determine the nature of the tumors.
Treatment of malignant papillomas will need to be carried out by an oncologist, treatment of benign formations is carried out by a dermatologist, and a surgeon will undertake the removal of growths.
Removal methods
Previously, only folk remedies were used to treat papillomas. But modern medicine offers new methods for removing warts that can get rid of tumors in one day and without side effects.
Treatment methods for viral warts
Vulgar papillomas bother people most often. To treat them, you can use home and folk remedies. The following methods are popular:
- Spot cauterization of growths using iodine or vinegar.
- Removal with celandine or tea tree oil.
- Tying propolis, aloe and other medicinal plants to problem areas.
These methods can be used to treat children and adults, but only if you need to get rid of recurrent papillomas. And if they arise for the first time, then consultation with a doctor is mandatory.
What to do if they grow
Since papillomas are a viral disease, an increase in the effect of infection on the body may periodically be observed. If the growths increase in size and number, you should consult a doctor. After removing tumors from the body, the doctor will prescribe therapy with interferon drugs and other medications that weaken the effect of HPV and improve the functioning of the immune system.
Can they disappear on their own?
Papillomas are formations consisting of skin cells modified by a virus. And if in one person they may disappear on their own after a few days or weeks, then in the situation with other people, medication or even radical treatment may be required.
Reducing the risk of spread
Since the site of infection is most often public places with high humidity, you must be careful when visiting them. You should never touch the toilet rim with your skin when visiting a public toilet.
Swimming masks must be used in the pool to prevent the virus from entering the body through the mucous membrane of the eyes. You should never wear someone else’s shoes, and you should also give even close friends your towel, toothbrush, comb and other personal items.
It is important to carefully monitor the state of your immunity, avoid stress and eat properly so that the body has the strength to resist infection by both this virus and other diseases.
Source: https://SkinPerfect.ru/borodavki/zarazny-li