WARTS IN CHILDREN

Warts in children are tiny, benign formations of the skin caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV).

One may spot either a single wart or several ones forming a cluster. There is a number of distinct types, some of which are:

* Common warts: these are protuberances on the surface of the skin, typically hard and rugged. They are the most widespread, usually found on the hands and the feet;

* Plantar warts (also called verrucas): as their very name suggests, they spread on the soles of the feet as a result of the pressure that the weight of the body exerts;

* Plane warts: smaller in size and not that projecting, they normally affect the hands or the face.

Symptoms of Warts in Children

Single warts cause a small knob to appear on the skin. When a few warts form in the same area, they may merge, resembling something of a mosaic. The different types of warts are accompanied by different sensations: while common warts are often painful, plane warts may be itchy. Warts are painful when pressing nerves.

Causes of Warts in Children

It is a viral infection that affects the skin cells which is responsible for warts in children. The infection develops out of the Human papillomavirus. More than 100 types of HPV have been discovered until now. Lots of people suffer from a verruca or a wart at a given time in their lives.

However, children and teenagers are more susceptible than adults. The former frequently attend public changing rooms and swimming pools, which significantly increases the risk. It is nevertheless wrong to say that verrucas are due to poor hygiene.Children with weak immune systems can develop warts more easily. The virus exists in the environment and is contagious.

Treatment of Warts in Children

Luckily, warts fade on their own within a few months or years with no intentional treatment. About 20 per cent of all such formations disappear after three months. The body's resistance to the HPV virus tends to fluctuate and it is these changes that determine how long the warts will be present.

Warts in children are to be treated only if they cause pain or if they are embarrassing for one’s physical appearance. Some home remedies can be tried out as, for example, a combination of salicylic acid paint and rubbing with a pumice stone or a foot scraper. A health care representative or a chiropodist may suggest more serious types of treatment of Warts in Children.

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