Warts aka Verrucae is an infection that is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and involves the epithelial tissues of the skin. The modus operandi of the virus is entering the skin through a cut or scratch and then causing the tissues to multiply and become thickened. Removing such tough warts or papillomas can be time consuming and the treatment can range from using topical agents, surgery, pulsed dye lasers, and orally administered medicines. The typical symptoms can vary depending on the extent of infection and cause pain, irritation, and awkwardness. Conventional treatment is not always successful as warts can turn recalcitrant.
Common places where HPV thrives: Out of over 100 types of HPV, about 60 or more cause warts generally in the non genital areas of the skin. The remaining 40 are mucosal and are found in the squamous epithelial cells of the genital areas.
Strains of the causative virus: The warts can be both low and high risk depending on the type of HPV strain. If the strains are 7 or 8, the warts will be non cancerous and form in the non genital areas whereas should the strains be 6 or 11, the low risk warts would be formed in the genital area. Importantly, the types 16 and 18 can cause malignant infections in the genital area.
Way of transmission: As explained earlier, the papillomas or warts caused by HPV happen when the virus enters the skin through cuts or bruises. Warts are also formed through direct skin contact, trauma, skin abrasion, or exposure to friction. Since the virus thrives in moist areas such as change rooms or showers, they can easily enter the skin of a person visiting such areas.
Types of treatment: Warts can be treated effectively by employing a wide range of options. These include the topical application of Cantharidin, retinoids and histamines, besides using intralesional injections, pulsed dye lasers and surgical excision. Out of these, the use of Cantharidin is quite popular especially with Podiatrists such as those working in the Podiatry clinic in Mandurah. Let us discuss the treatment with Cantharidin in some detail.
Treating warts with Cantharidin
Warts can be recalcitrant and have the potential to leave scars after the treatment. The scars can cause irritation and form a thickened skin called callous. However, the topical use of Cantharidin in the form of an ointment on warts can treat these effectively without scarring the skin. The use of this substance in traditional medicine has been in vogue for centuries to treat warts and molluscum besides other ailments like ulcers, furuncles etc. Cantharidin is a chemical agent produced by the male blister beetle during mating. The chemical is used by the female beetle to ward off predators by covering her eggs.
How does Cantharidin work?
Once the blistering agent is absorbed by the outer layer of the skin, it causes blisters and breaks down the skin layer. This forces the tissues containing the virus to separate without forming any scars. This has been amply demonstrated with proven results by the podiatry services in Mandurah.
Advantages of using Cantharidin
- Does not cause any scarring to the skin
- Painless application of the ointment
- No need to use injections
Conclusion
The use of Cantharidin to treat warts has been found to be really effective unlike the other treatment methods where there is a chance of scarring. So, should you be one of the persons suffering from painful warts, visit the Podiatrists in Mandurah to get rid of warts by the use of Cantharidin and other methods.