Periungual warts: causes and treatment

1. Causes of periungual warts
2. Diagnosis and symptoms of periungual warts
3. Treatment of periungual warts: pharmaceutical preparations
4. Removal of periungual warts
5. Treatment of periungual warts at home
6. Periungual warts in children
7. Prevention of periungual warts

A periungual wart is a benign growth (growth) on the skin around the nail plate (occasionally it may appear under the nail itself).

Periungual warts are a type of common wart; they often form in the area next to or under the nail plate. This disease has a viral etiology and is manifested by the formation of papules (nodules) on the surface of the skin, protruding above the epithelium. Such tumors are benign formations, but in some cases they can degenerate into malignant ones. The appearance of periungual warts is caused by the penetration of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has up to 100 different types, into the body. Mostly children who suffer from relapses have the bad habit of biting their nails and the skin around them.

Papillomas that form near the nails are usually divided into two types:

1. arising under the nails - subungual;
2. those formed on the surface of the cuticle near the nail plate are pre-nail or periungual.

The first ones are localized under the nail; the nodules are small in size and practically do not differ in color from the skin. Most often, such warts are not noticed because they do not cause any problems. Trouble begins only when the subungual papule formed under the nail increases in size and continues to grow. In this case, the nail gradually becomes thinner, which leads to its deformation and, as a result, destruction. It is also noted that periungual warts on the feet begin to cause severe pain due to the fact that the foot is compressed by shoes. This leads to the fact that the patient begins to limp and his mobility will inevitably be limited. Therefore, if such a pathology exists, it is recommended to consult a specialist to make a diagnosis and choose the right treatment.

A periungual or periungual wart is a wart that has formed on the hands or feet near the nail itself. Such a papilloma is almost immediately detected by the patient, since it is a tumor on the surface of the epithelium, rising more or less above its level. A wart of this type has a flat outline or may have a root that extends deeply into the tissue. Papillomas with the root, increasing in size, begin to capture the nearby growing nail, which causes its damage. As a result, its surface is distorted and it is gradually destroyed.

If you examine periungual warts in detail, you will notice tiny dots and stripes on their surface, which indicate the appearance of blood clots in the capillaries.

Nail warts on the hands are often injured. This causes the papule to begin to bleed. In this case, autoinoculation occurs, that is, the patient becomes self-infected.

Causes of periungual warts

The photo shows a neglected periungual wart

As mentioned above, the cause of the occurrence of such papillomas is infection with HPV, which penetrates through microtraumas in the skin. This could be an accidental injury, a manicure performed in violation of sanitary standards (cuts or the use of an infected instrument), contact with a carrier of the disease, or the use of things of a person infected with HPV. The virus itself can enter the human body even in childhood, but not manifest itself until “favorable” conditions are created for it:

1. general decrease in immunity;
2. presence of hangnails;
3. habit of biting nails and cuticles;
4. working without protective gloves with household chemicals or chemicals that irritate the skin on the hands.

These are the factors influencing the formation of periungual warts on the hands. If we talk about papillomas under the nail plate on the toes, their appearance can be caused by:

1. wearing someone else's shoes;
2. lack of special shoes in saunas or swimming pools;
3. wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes made of rough or non-breathable materials;
4. increased sweating on the feet;
5. presence of ingrown toenails.

Diagnosis and symptoms of periungual warts

If warts have formed near the nail plate or under it, then they can very easily be confused with the characteristic features of other diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist who can correctly diagnose the tumor and prescribe appropriate treatment to eliminate papilloma. Self-medication in this case can lead to negative results. A competent specialist, after examining the skin and neoplasms on it, will quickly make a diagnosis. Occasionally, doctors prescribe additional tests to eliminate the risk of developing cancer.

Periungual warts look very much like calluses. However, the main difference between a callus and a papilloma is that the skin pattern is preserved on the surface of the former and thrombosed capillaries are not visible in its structure. But on the surface of the papules black specks are clearly visible. This is easy to notice even with a visual inspection.

When a wart forms under the nail plate, the nail gradually destroys, and this is very similar in appearance to a fungal infection. If we compare the photos presented in many literary medical sources, the pathologies are completely indistinguishable in appearance. In this case, it is necessary to sow mushrooms. If the patient has HPV, it will test negative.

If necessary, the dermatologist may additionally recommend undergoing:

1. Dermatoscopy. During the procedure, a dermoscope device is used, which displays the surface of the formation at tenfold magnification. Structure, symmetry and contours become more clearly visible.
2. Biopsy. In this case, tiny parts of the skin nodule are taken for examination under a microscope.

Treatment of periungual warts: pharmaceutical preparations

Traditional medicine offers several treatments for periungual warts. They are usually divided into two groups - conservative treatment and surgical intervention.

Under conservative therapy This means prescribing medications that fight HPV and help improve immunity. Usually these are medications for oral administration. The most effective of them:

1. Cycloferon — the price starts from 135 rubles;
2. Anaferon — from 198 rub.;
3. Isoprinosine — the price starts from 587 rubles.

You should not take these medications for self-medication. Only a specialist can prescribe them based on the clinical picture of the disease. In some cases, dermatologists recommend topical treatment.

Products for external use are prescribed depending on how many warts appear, what their size is and where they are located.

The list of the most effective medications for external use includes:

1. Imiquimod (from RUR 2,019) - immunomodulator.
2. Solcoderm (price varies from 401 to 1,489 rubles) and Verrucacid (from 211 rubles) - acid-based medications that promote tissue necrosis.
3. Viferon (from 123 rub.) - antiviral ointment.
4. Cryopharma (from 859 rubles) - a refrigerant that freezes warts.
5. Salicylic acid (price from 6 rub.) and ointment Collomak (cost ranges from 264 to 490 rubles) - keratolytic agents that destroy the stratum corneum of papilloma.

The doctor prescribes all of the above medications for the treatment of small periungual warts that are located on the surface of the skin. If the papilloma is large, has a deep root or is an old formation, then it is recommended to resort to surgery.

1. Read also about home remedies for papillomas for external use

Removal of periungual warts

Surgical methods getting rid of periungual warts is used when the above drugs have not brought a positive result, and papilloma causes problems, both cosmetic and physical (for example, pain). In medicine today there are several radical ways to get rid of periungual warts, these include:

1. Cryodestruction — is carried out by cauterizing the problematic skin formation with liquid nitrogen. Usually, it takes up to a minute to cauterize the wart. In its place, a whitened area may remain, which resembles a burn. After a few days, the crust disappears and a small indentation remains on the skin, which heals in 2–3 days. Although this method is considered the most gentle, it has contraindications. People suffering from diabetes, preschool children and pregnant women should not burn warts with liquid nitrogen. The effectiveness of cryodestruction is quite high and is in the range of 70–100%. Relapse is possible only in 15% of cases. To remove one wart you need to pay from 300 rubles.
2. Radio wave method is based on the use of the Surgitron apparatus, in which electric current is converted into radio waves with a frequency of 3.8-4.0 MHz. Under the influence of the device, the surface of the wart begins to evaporate. The advantage of the procedure is that no blood is released. This method is also called "radio wave knife". The effectiveness of removal is in the range of 80-90%, cases of relapse are only 2-5%. The cost of removing a papule starts from 600 rubles.
3. Laser coagulation. A laser beam is used to burn out the papilloma, causing its tissue to evaporate. A crust remains at the site of the wart, which falls off after 2-4 weeks. Removing one nodule takes several minutes. There is a high level of efficiency - 93%. The price starts from 140 rubles.
4. Surgical method. Occasionally, excision of the wart with a scalpel is required. However, such an operation is performed exclusively by surgeons. The damaged part of the epithelium is excised and a cosmetic suture is applied to the wound, after which a whitish scar will remain. This method is the most traumatic and requires long rehabilitation. It is prescribed when it is necessary to obtain wart tissue for research. The removal efficiency is 50–60%, and relapses occur in 50% of cases. The price of surgical intervention starts from 350 rubles.
5. Electrocoagulation. The procedure uses high-frequency current. Pathological skin formations are cut off with a wire loop, and the remaining wound gradually heals. Disinfection of healthy epithelial tissue also occurs. If we talk about the effectiveness of this method, it varies in the range from 80 to 95%. The price can start from 500 rubles. for the removal of one periungual wart.

Typically, such procedures are carried out by doctors in outpatient clinics and the patient can return home within a short period of time. The period allotted for rehabilitation after surgery depends on which method was used to get rid of periungual warts.

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Treatment of periungual warts at home

Photo of periungual warts on women's fingers

You can get rid of periungual warts yourself. Since ancient times, folk healers have recommended a large number of ways to solve this problem almost painlessly. However, here you need to be patient and carefully follow the recipe.

Periungual warts are lubricated with juice squeezed from the stems of celandine. Thyme, onion, euphorbia and juice from ripened rowan berries are also used. For a long time, castor oil and finely grated horseradish mixed with salt have been used to treat warts (read how to use castor oil for papillomas). Wild parsley, purslane and wild apples are also popular because these plant solutions are highly acidic. You can lubricate the skin tumors that appear with the juice of castor beans and grapevines.

A more gentle, but no less effective effect is provided by rubbing with rose petals, rosehip tincture or juice of the hairy hawkweed. Among the aggressive agents, acetic acid is isolated, which is applied daily to the periungual wart when treated at home.

When using these folk recipes, it was noted that the surface of the papilloma began to turn black. This indicates the death of the tissues of the formation. At this time, it is not recommended to cut off the wart; it is better to wait until it falls off on its own. If you do not adhere to this rule, you can provoke a relapse.

Periungual warts in children

Periungual warts often form in children due to the immaturity of the immune system of the young body, as well as regular injuries. Many of the above methods for treating and removing warts are quite painful, so parents try to cope with the disease on their own and resort to traditional methods of treating such papillomas. However, warts are not so easy to treat, and by delaying time, you can wait until the nail plate begins to deform and, as a result, collapse.

If a child is diagnosed with a single periungual wart that does not cause any trouble, then even dermatologists recommend not to self-medicate, but to wait a little. This is due to the fact that in childhood and adolescence such formations can disappear without outside intervention. The need to consult a specialist arises in the following cases:

1. the number of warts is rapidly increasing;
2. the size of the papules is growing;
3. periungual warts begin to bleed and are often injured;
4. During a visual examination, there is doubt that the neoplasm is a wart.

Prevention of periungual warts

Since the human papillomavirus enters the body through microtraumas on the skin, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. It is mandatory to use personal shoes when visiting public places (saunas, swimming pools, gyms). When you get home, dry it thoroughly.
2. You cannot wear someone else’s shoes, as well as socks, tights, mittens, etc.
3. Manicures and pedicures should only be done by trusted professionals in salons, where all instruments are processed according to sanitary hygiene requirements after each client’s appointment.
4. It is important to fight the bad habit of biting your nails, biting cuticles and hangnails.
5. If minimal trauma to the skin occurs, it is recommended to treat the wound with antiseptic agents.
6. Take vitamin courses.
7. When working with food products (meat, fish or other products), wear gloves.
8. Wear gloves when working with aggressive substances and household chemicals.
9. Limit contact with people with warts.

If a relapse occurs and periungual warts begin to form again, you need to contact an immunologist and ask to prescribe an immunogram. In all likelihood, the level of the body's defenses is greatly reduced and you will need to take a course of immunostimulating drugs.

How to remove a periungual wart, see the following video:

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