A Simple Guide to Skin warts

A Simple Guide to Skin warts
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What are Skin warts?
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Skin warts are benign epithelial hyperplasia raised swellings on the skin caused by one of the human papilloma viruses.

They are infectious by direct contact or indirect contact through contaminated surfaces from one person to the other.

It is the one of the common skin condition.

It is never life threatening.

Who is affected by Skin warts?
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Skin warts is more common in :

1.children than in adults

2.contact with a person with warts

3.families with a patient having warts

What is the Cause of Skin warts?
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The human papilloma virus is the cause of skin warts.

There are 100 types of HPV which has been identified as causing skin or mucosal infections.

What are the types of Skin warts?
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Common wart:
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Common warts are benign swellings in the skin that are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

1.Periungual wart

Periungual warts are common warts around or under the fingernail and toenail.

2.Plantar warts

Plantar warts are found on the pressure areas of the foot.

The presure causes inward growth.

They can be single, seedling or mosaic.

3.Mosaic warts

Mosaic warts are plagues of closely set plantar warts

4.Plane warts

Plane warts are flat-topped smooth papules, light brown or skin flesh in color present on the face, legs, and hands often occuring in large numbers.

5.Filiform warts

Filiform warts appear as a single long narrow growth often on the eyelid or face

What are the Symptoms and signs of Skin warts?
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Skin warts can present as:

1.round or irregular raised swelling

2.Color may be like normal skin or light brown.

3.Surface is rough(may look like califlower) or smooth

4.Border is sharply demarcated

5.Size varies from 2-10mm in diameter.

5.They are usually found on the fingers, elbows, knees, feet, scalp and face.

How do you make the Diagnosis of Skin warts?
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1.Skin biopsy under local anesthesia

2.small lesions can be totally removed

3.larger ones are biopsied first and surgically removed later on


What are the complications of Skin warts?
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If skin warts are transmitted to the genital area, there is a risk of genital warts which can cause cervical cancer in women

What is the treatment of Skin warts?
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Many warts resolve spontaneously.

For those that persists or grow bigger, other treatments may be used:

1.Surgery:

Skin warts are removed by surgical excision.

2.Chemical treatment:

a.local therapy with Salicylic-acid preparations which dissolves the protein forming most of both the wart and the thick layer of dead skin above it.

b. 5-fluorouracil(a chemotherapy agent)

3.Cautery:

Electrotherapy by cautery of the warts kills the virus and destroy the tisues underneath which allow them to grow.

4.Cryosurgery:

Aerosol wart treatments freeze warts at a temperature of minus 57 C.

This can kill the virus.

Dermatologists use liquid nitrogen which is considerably colderminus 196 C.

What is the prognosis of Skin warts?
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Prognosis of majority of cases is good if there is complete removal.

Recurrences are common

What are the preventive measures for Skin warts?
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Avoid direct or indirect contact through contaminated surfaces with people having warts

A Simple Guide to Cervical Cancer

A Simple Guide to Cervical Cancer
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What is Cervical Cancer?
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Cervical cancer is a common cancer in women which affects the cervix (the neck of the womb).

What are the types of Cervical Cancer?
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There are 2 main types:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma

2. Adenocarcinoma

Squamous cell carcinorma is more common in the younger woman whereas the adenocarcinoma is more common in the older woman.

Who is at risk of Cervical Cancer?
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All women aged between 25 and 69 who had:
1. Sex intercourse at early age

2.Multiple sexual partners

3.Sexually transmitted infections (STI) e.g. genital herpes and human papillomavirus infection (HPV)

4.Any medical condition or treatment which affects the immune system eg. auti-immune disease

5.Smoking

What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
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The following are symptoms of cervical cancer:

1.Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse

2.Irregular bleeding in between periods or after menopause

3.Foul-smelling vaginal discharge

4.Non-specific pain in the pelvic area or lower back

5.Tiredness or loss of weight

The initial stages of cervical cancer are usually symptomless, so women may not know it.
Regular Pap smear screening detects abnormal changes in the cervical cells and prevents cancer.

How is Cervical Cancer Screening done?
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To check if you may have cervical cancer, go for a Pap smear test.
This is simple, quick, safe and is usually painless procedure.
If you have had sex before or are sexually active, you should go for a Pap smear once every 2 years.
Pap smears are available at all hospitals, most private clinics and the local Cancer Society.

If the Pap smear is positive, a colposcopy (examination of the inner lining of the womb) followed by cone biopsy of any suspicious area may be done.

What is the treatment of Cervical Cancer?
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In the pre-cancerous stage and Early Cancer Stage(carcinoma-in-situ) of the cervix, removal of all the abnormal tissues can be done by a cone biopsy.

Repeated Pap smears must be done to confirm that there is no recurrence of the cancer.

In all cases of established cancer of the cervix(stage II - IV), surgery is done with removal of the womb followed by radiotherapy( external or internal) and if necessary chemotherapy.

Reviews of the woman's condition is done regularly.
Sexual intercourse should be avoided temporarily after treatment.
Normal physical and social activities may be resumed in 2-3 month after treatment.

How do you prevent Cervical Cancer?
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A Pap smear screening test is the best prevention against Cervical Cancer.
A newly developed vaccine for HPV has been shown to be able to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.
Avoid multiple sexual partners.
Use condoms for protection against sexually transmitted idsease especially HPV.
As usual keep a healthy lifestyle and have a well balanced diet

So take steps now to protect yourself against cancer.
Encourage your loved ones to go for screening if they have not done so.
Bear in mind that a pro-active approach with regular clinical screening is to prevent common cancers like breast and cervical cancers from affecting your lives.


Added 4th October 2008
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Cervical Cancer
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The most common HPV types causing 70% of all cervical cancers are the HPV 16,18, 31 and 45.

Both new vaccines against HPV Cervarix and Gardasil are equally effective in producing high antibodies against HPV 16 and 18 and preventing these infections over a 5 year period.

However prevention of the HPV 16 and 18 does not mean the cervical cancer can be abolished totally.