- Why does a child's wart turn black?
- What does it look like
- What to do
- Removal
- Medicines
- Prevention
A black wart in a child is clear evidence of increased activity of the human papillomavirus. And although warts in children are not treated in the normal course of the pathology, since the formations in this case tend to self-reduce, such a complication will require radical action. If a child has a blackened wart, it is necessary to consult with a doctor about possible methods of solving the problem, but it is also important to determine the reasons for the change in color of the growth and prevent similar complications in the future. The close attention of the little patient, his parents, and doctors to growths on the body and mucous membranes will help prevent a critical situation.
Why did my child's wart turn black?
Warts appear in children for two reasons:
- The body contains the human papillomavirus, which provokes the development of pathogenic growths on various parts of the body (on the skin or mucous membranes, depending on the active genotype of the virus).
- Weakened immunity, unable to prevent the active reproduction of viral cells. Protective functions are reduced for various reasons: infectious diseases, inflammatory processes, and even the active growth of the baby against the background of an unbalanced diet.
Typically, restoring the immune system will cause warts in children to go away without other active measures. However, for a number of reasons, pathogenic growths not only remain, but also transform, changing color and shape.
Reasons why a child's wart turns black:
- The immune system does not respond to resuscitation processes or proper correction of the child’s general health is not carried out. As a result, the virus continues to actively reproduce.
- Impaired blood supply to the wart, the formation of blood clots that look like black dots inside the wart in a child.
- Mechanical damage to the growth associated with accidental injury or unsuccessful attempts at self-medication. For example, a child often has a black wart on his leg due to constant tension.
- Degeneration of the structure into a malignant one - cases recorded in children are quite rare, but they should not be excluded.
It will not be possible to independently identify the cause of a blackened wart in a child, much less develop a competent course of treatment at home. Only a doctor is able to identify the true factors that provoked the complication and recommend treatment.
Note! The most common are benign strains of the human papillomavirus. Therefore, many parents try to remove growths from their children on their own using folk remedies. Meanwhile, improper treatment, on the contrary, can provoke blackening of a wart in a child, and then its degeneration into a malignant tumor. Self-medication is under no circumstances acceptable.- Read also: what is a black wart on the body?
What does the neoplasm look like?
Photos of black warts in children
In most cases, blackening of a wart in children occurs in several stages.:
- A small dark dot appears inside the growth. The color of such a point is not necessarily black, it can also be brown. This point indicates the formation of the root of a common wart; it is through the root that the growth is nourished.
- The number of blackheads increases and is an indicator of the formation of blood clots in the capillaries feeding the wart. Often a black wart on a child’s leg develops from this stage.
- The wart turns completely black, and the tissue nearby may become inflamed, red, or slightly swollen.
The sooner changes in warts are detected, the easier the treatment will be. In the case of a blackened wart in a child, the child more often complains of accompanying symptoms - itching, burning, growth of the growth to a size that is disturbing. Such signs occur in the later stages of complications, when treatment will take more time and effort. Therefore, after detecting the first signs of wart growth, it is important for parents to monitor the pathology systematically. This will allow you to notice the progression of the disease in time and take action.
Important! A black wart in children appears as a single formation, but this condition is still classified as dangerous. The complication cannot be ignored, since blackening without treatment will lead to malignancy.What to do if the wart turns black?
As soon as a black wart is discovered in a child, it is urgent to stop any manipulations with the growth, to minimize the impact on it, both mechanical (clothing fabric, shoes) and chemical (cosmetics, pharmaceutical solutions). Only a doctor can determine the true reasons for the change in color of the growth. If necessary, additional tests are prescribed - tissue biopsy, general blood test to determine inflammatory processes. Based on the results of the study, medications and removal of the growth are prescribed. Treatment of warts in children must be carried out strictly according to the doctor’s instructions in combination with correction of the diet and daily routine of young patients. Minimizing factors that suppress the baby’s immunity will speed up recovery.
Removing the build-up
Removal of warts in children is rarely carried out, since the immune system of a young body is able to independently overcome the development of pathogenic cells. But in case of complications, such as, for example, black warts on a child’s leg, destruction is necessary. Hardware removal of pathogenic tissues will prevent their subsequent degeneration, preserving the child’s health.
The method for removing black warts in children is selected by a doctor. The fastest and most painless procedures are recommended:
- Laser removal. Layer by layer, the pathogenic growth is evaporated. The procedure is painless and leaves a minimal mark; the wound heals much faster due to the fact that the cut site is immediately cauterized with a laser. Postoperative wound care will be required, but it will take very little time. The procedure is expensive—removing a growth with a laser will cost up to 3,000 rubles in Russia and up to 1,200 hryvnia in Ukraine. Another disadvantage of laser destruction is the small depth of impact, that is, the laser easily removes growths on the fingers and knees, but it will not be possible to remove a black wart from the roots on a child’s foot (sole).
- Destruction by liquid nitrogen. The procedure is carried out quite quickly and practically painlessly for the child, but after removing deep warts, children may develop blisters that require meticulous care. Destruction of one wart using liquid nitrogen costs 150 hryvnia (from 360 rubles).
Electrocoagulation as a method of removing a black wart in a child is not used due to its pain. And scalpel surgery is possible only if there is a suspicion of oncological transformation. Such measures are taken in extremely rare cases.
If there is not one formation on the child’s body, but several, then the black wart and the main one are removed. Daughter growths that develop without complications will disappear after normalization of the immune system.
Note! Incomplete removal of a black wart in a child will lead to its recurrence. In this case, it is recommended to perform the destruction procedure again.Medicines
In the photo, drugs for black warts in a child
The age of the patient imposes its limitations on the drug treatment of black warts in children, as well as their complications. Removal using chemicals is too lengthy in this case, and immunostimulants are not allowed for all age groups.
However, a number of drugs are still acceptable:
- Antiviral — Amizon, Normomed for systemic use in children from 6 years of age (Normomed can be used from 3 years). One package of Normomed costs 116 hryvnia (590 rubles), the course of therapy can last several weeks.
- Immunostimulating — Imunorix for children over 3 years of age is prescribed in exceptional cases. Therapy will cost 835 hryvnia, 1055 rubles.
After destruction, it is recommended to treat the site where a child’s black wart is removed with Panavir gel, which has an antiviral effect. The gel is used for children over 12. One tube of the product costs 129 rubles, 300 hryvnia.
Additionally, the child is prescribed vitamin supplements - Supradin, Vitrum and others. The complex is selected individually after consultation with a pediatrician. Self-medication can have a detrimental effect on the child’s health.
Note! Sometimes the reason for the blackening of a wart in children is its successful treatment. If the growth was under observation, an unscheduled visit to a dermatologist should be made to confirm the effectiveness of therapy. But blackening as a result of using traditional methods does not always indicate positive therapy. Many alternative medicine methods cannot be used on children. It is prohibited to treat black warts in a child on your own.Features of prevention
Warts in children are not a dangerous disease, but complications can lead to harmful consequences. To avoid complications, the child must be taught to follow preventive measures:
- wash your hands regularly;
- treat cuts, wounds and abrasions or contact parents for help in treatment, especially if such wounds appear near an overgrown wart;
- do not touch the growth, and if clothes or shoes rub against the wart, inform your parents;
- If a wart in children interferes with everyday tasks, consult a doctor;
- the patient must independently monitor the pathology, and if the first symptoms of a black wart are detected, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
On the part of parents, the prevention of warts in children can be carried out as part of general care for the baby’s health - organizing proper nutrition, frequent walks in the fresh air, moderate physical activity, protection from stress. Parents should also check their child's warts for complications. Timely identification of blackheads will allow treatment to begin in the early stages of complications.
- Read more about preventing warts in children
If a child’s wart turns black, and the parents do not understand the nature of such a change, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. A change in color may indicate either successful treatment of the formation or the development of a complication. If complications develop, a black wart in a child can be treated, but it is much easier to follow preventive measures, saving the child from lengthy rehabilitation after destruction of the formation.
- Related article: Why does a wart turn black: the main reasons