WARTS

What are Warts?

Warts are small lumps that often develop on the skin of the hands and feet. They vary in appearance, and may also develop singly or in clusters. These are non-cancerous, but can resemble certain cancers. Moles however can be dangerous. If you are concerned go to your local GP for help. There are several types of them:

Common warts will:

Be round or oval-shaped
Be firm and raised
Have a rough, irregular surface
Vary in size, from 1mm to 10mm+ in diameter

Therefore plain ones will:

Be a yellowish colour
Are smooth, round and flat-topped
Be 2-4mm in diameter
Most commonly occur in young children

Filliform warts are long and slender in appearance. These form when a strain of the human papilloma virus (HPV), causes the top layer of the skin to grow too rapidly.

Furthermore, periungual warts develop under and around the fingernails and toenails. They have a rough surface, and may affect the shape of the nail and may be painful. Mosaic warts grow in clusters and form a “tile-like” pattern, often developing on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Who do they affect?

Warts can affect anyone.

What causes them?

Certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) can cause warts. This virus affects the skin and moist membranes (mucosa) of the body. There are more than 100 different strains of HPV, which cause different types of warts.

HPV is passed on through close skin-to-skin contact. It can also be transmitted indirectly by contact with contaminated objects, particularly in areas surrounding swimming pools.

How can they be treated?

At Appearances Aesthetics, we offer advanced electrolysis to treat warts. This is a heat treatment where a probe is inserted into the area and a current is applied. The heat current is held on from 5-20 seconds whilst it is inserted into the wart to kill the root.

Does Advanced Electrolysis hurt?

We recommend you apply a topical anaesthetic cream thickly, covered with a plaster one hour prior to the treatment to minimise discomfort during the treatment. Such creams are available from any chemist or pharmacy, such as Emla or Amitop.

Pre-numbing using lidocaine by injection can be pre-arranged with a local medical practitioner. Should you wish to have the area completely numbed prior to treatment, please discuss with us at an extra cost.

Possibly recommended for children.

Are there any side effects from the treatment?

There is no recovery time as such from advanced electrolysis; you can return to work and normal activities immediately after treatment.

Depending on the particular skin condition being treated and the size of it, you can expect some post-treatment discomfort and scabbing as the area heals.

If the area being treated is on your face, you may wish to plan treatment around social events if you do not wish to attend them before post-treatment healing has completed.

Is there any danger of infection?

Any instrument used in contact with the skin is disposed of after each use. This is especially important with the needle and the needle holder. All areas are sterilised, at least twice, with a specialised skin and instrument disinfectant.

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