Someone went to the doctor because they had some small flesh particles on their necks that didn't hurt or itch. She said that she was going to have laser treatment and wanted to get an HPV test because several friends around her had told her, "This is a wart, it is contagious!" But she thinks she usually pays attention to cleanliness and hygiene, how can she get warts?
It is true that small bumps on the neck that do not hurt or itch are the possibility of warts, and they can also spread to other parts of the skin, but they are not so scary. Because in addition to warts, there are other possibilities for small flesh particles on the neck that are not painful or itchy, such as molluscum contagiosum, skin tags (soft fibromas), seborrheic keratosis, etc. Even if a wart is diagnosed, there is a way to cure it.
Let's take a look at skin warts and other common skin "small flesh particles" and learn how to deal with them.
What are the types of warts? What's the difference?
Warts are benign skin growths caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which can occur in any part of the body, and are divided into common warts, filiform warts, flat warts, plantar warts, genital warts, etc. according to the clinical manifestations and growth sites of warts.
There are more than 200 subtypes of HPV, and there is some correlation between different subtypes of HPV and the clinical manifestations of warts.
1
Common warts
Common warts mostly appear on the fingers and backs of the hands, starting as pimples with large needle tips, gradually increasing to the size of soybeans or even broad beans, round or polygonal, and with a rough surface. It is usually caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 7, 27, 28, 29, etc.
2
Filiform warts
Warts on the neck are generally filamentous warts, a special type of common warts that appear as elongated, skin-colored filamentous bumps that also appear on the eyelids and are usually caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27, and 29.
3
Flat warts
Flat warts are more likely to occur on the face, neck, back of hands, and arms, and are manifested as round or oval slight bumps of 1~3mm in size, with skin color, pink or brown. Usually caused by subtypes 2, 3, 4, 10, and 28 of HPV.
4
跖疣
Common warts on the soles of the feet, also called plantar warts, are triggered by repeated rubbing, usually caused by subtypes 1, 2, and 4 of HPV. For a detailed introduction, you can see the following popular science.
Don't be careless if you have this kind of small bump on the soles of your feet, it's plantar warts, and it's contagious!
5
Genital warts
Genital warts caused by genital HPV infection are mostly associated with types 6 and 11 and are not discussed too much here.
There are so many subtypes of HPV that you don't need to memorize them, just know that certain HPV strains tend to infect certain sites. In other words, there is no need to worry about the filiform warts on the neck accidentally spreading to the genital area and causing genital warts, and there is no need to worry about increasing the risk of cervical cancer.
How is the skin infected by the HPV virus?
Although some concerns are dispelled, many people still wonder how they can get infected with these diseases.
HPV is usually transmitted through direct or indirect contact, and the virus infects the basal cells of the epithelium, and the basal cells gradually move to the surface of the skin and differentiate and mature. When our skin comes into contact with the HPV virus, if our skin barrier is intact, even if the HPV virus invades the stratum corneum of the epidermis, it will not necessarily cause a skin infection.
Replication of the virus needs to be done in fully differentiated keratinocytes, which means that the virus needs to infect cells in the deeper layers of the skin to cause warts on the skin.
It can be seen that only when there is a small break in the skin can the virus easily reach the deep cells of the skin, and the skin is easily infected by the HPV virus.
Therefore, there are still some things that we need to pay attention to in our lives, such as avoiding repeated scratching of the skin to destroy the barrier, and maintaining good personal hygiene habits to reduce the risk of infection.
What should I do if I have warts?
Although different warts have different presentations, they are all caused by HPV infection, so the treatment is similar, and there are several treatment options:
1. Use physical means to destroy warts, such as liquid nitrogen freezing, lasers, ionizations, etc.
2. Topical drug treatment, such as 0.1% tretinoin ointment, 5% fluorouracil ointment, 0.5% podophyllotoxin, 5% imiquimod cream, 0.7% spotted benzoin, etc.
3. Local injection drug treatment, such as injection of interferon, fluorouracil, bleomycin, etc.
In addition, there are photodynamic therapy or surgical excision, etc.
Skin warts have different responses to various treatments, some treatments may cause local scarring, there is no one is the best solution, to choose a reasonable plan according to the specific situation, please do not treat it with drugs without authorization, it is recommended to consult a doctor and choose carefully.
In addition to warts, small flesh particles on the skin
Or could it be?
In addition to the various warts caused by HPV, there are some of the more common skin bumps that can be easily mistaken for warts, such as the aforementioned molluscum contagiosum, skin tags, seborrheic keratosis, etc.
1
Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum is caused by infection with the molluscum contagiosum virus. It is more common in children but can occur in adults. It is usually a hemispherical papule of 2 to 5 mm in size with a shiny surface, a slightly depressed center, and a slightly hard texture.
Molluscum contagiosum is contagious, but it usually resolves naturally. If the number of rashes is small, it can be observed. If the number is high or continues to increase, treatment is still recommended. The most commonly used methods of treatment are curettage, other useful forceps pinch removal, laser, freezing, etc.
2
Skin tags
Another common skin bump is skin tags, also known as soft fibromas, which are common in people over 30 years old, and obesity, pregnancy, diabetes, etc. are high-risk factors for skin tags.
It is common in the neck, armpits, and groin. It is manifested as a pinhead to the size of a red bean or small light brown bumps, and some skin tags have slender pedicles that connect to the skin and are soft to the touch.
Skin tags are not contagious and have no health effects, but they can affect aesthetics. If you don't mind the effect on your appearance, you can leave it untreated. If there is a conscious effect on the person's image, treatment is recommended. The commonly used treatment methods are carbon dioxide laser, ionization, microwave, cryotherapy, etc.
3
Seborrheic keratosis
Seborrheic keratoses, commonly known as senile warts, can also occur in young people, with a higher incidence in the general elderly population.
Seborrheic keratoses is a benign intraepidermal tumor caused by delayed maturation of keratinocytes, which mostly occurs in exposed areas, most commonly on the head and face, neck, trunk, and upper limbs, but can also occur anywhere on the body surface.
There are several clinical and histological types of seborrheic keratosis, some of which (papular seborrheic keratosis) resemble a certain type of warts in the skin. The rash is usually brown with varying degrees of keratinization on the surface and is not as soft as a skin tag.
Seborrheic keratosis has no tendency to heal on its own, and generally does not become malignant, so you can choose treatment if you feel that it affects your appearance, including cryotherapy, laser, ionization, etc.
In addition to these common diseases mentioned in the article, there are many other skin problems that are relatively rare. When you notice that you have some small bumps on your skin, don't blindly suspect that you have warts, even if they are warts, don't be too nervous.
If you still don't understand, or don't look like it, or want to be treated, it is recommended to consult a doctor or see a doctor through regular channels.
Source: Zhuo Zheng Popular Science