What are warts?
Warts are small, rough outgrowths on a person’s body. Hands and feet are the most common places of wart formation. They resemble a cauliflower or a blister, but are more solid. Almost 87 percent of people have suffered warts when they were young.
Since it is a viral disease, they can be contagious in some circumstances. They can transfer to someone else, if they come in contact with the wart. Also, warts shed cells. These fallen cells may also contain viruses which may penetrate into someone else’s body.
Causes:
Warts are caused by HPV virus. This virus penetrates into the outer layer of the skin through wounds or abrasions. Then, this virus transfers its genetic stand into the nucleus of the skin cell. There, it dividesto form new viruses, ranging in quantity from of 10 to 200.
Such rapid reproduction alters the genetic makeup of the effected cell. It will appear different than normal cell. The mutated cells will duplicate faster than usual; resulting in out growths, called warts.
Types of warts:
There are four main types off warts. These are listed below:
Common wart
This type of wart is a tiny, hard dome shaped bump on a person’s hands, fingers, knees or elbows. It usually appears as grayish brown in color; with black dots inside it. It resembles the head of a cauliflower.
Flat Warts
Flat warts are rather smooth to touch, with flat tops. Their size is approximately equal to a pinhead. They vary in color from pink, light brown to yellow. These usually appear on the face, arms, knees and hands, in cluster form.
Filiform warts
Filiform warts look like fingers of flesh color. They form around the mouth, eyes or nose.
Plantar warts- These Plantar warts are hard deposits under the foot. They appear like small stones; and can be quite uncomfortable.
Salicylic acid wart treatment and how to use it
They are many wart treatments available in the market or on the internet market. The most renowned is Salicylic acid wart treatment. Doctors prescribe to purchase over the counter medication containing salicylic acid.
Buying such medication does not require prescription. You can find it in liquid form or as a medicated pad. It is your own choice about the form you use.
No matter which salicylic acid wart treatment you buy; make sure you use it properly and regularly. A little delay can make the treatment process slower. First of all wash the affected area then, file down the wart. Wash it again, and apply the medication. Repeat this daily.
Action of Salicylic acid on warts
Salicylic acid is a mild acid that is not abrasive that is why it is great and perfect treatment for the warts. It has been discussed that RNA strand of the virus penetrates the nucleus of the skin cell. Similarly salicylic acid penetrates the wart cell.
The structure of the genetic strand is quite delicate. It gets deformed when in contact with the acid. The changes caused, destroy the virus.