Warts are tiny overgrowths on the skin that is caused by a virus called human papilloma virus (HPV) and they can occur in any surface of the skin. These growths are unpleasant to look at, especially when they are visible on the surface of the body. There are several types of warts such as the common wart, plantar, flat and the filiform.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg3Uxd24qfc”]Warts that grow around and under the nails are called periungal warts which are categorized as common warts. These warts can develop on the skin surrounding the nails of both fingers and toes. In the beginning they are small, but after a few hours they will become enlarged in size and rough with irregular shapes that look similar to a cauliflower. If not treated promptly, periungal warts can affect the nail growth and even damage the nail. Oftentimes, it will cause the disconnection of the affected nail.
Causes of periungal warts
Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus and it is considered contagious and can enter the body from cuts and abrasions. Warts can be acquired from a direct skin to skin contact with an infected person. It can also occur around the nails in the same person having warts in different parts of the body.
Periungal warts can be seen in people picking or biting their nails since the broken skin makes it easy for the virus to enter and trigger the start of the infection.
Periungal warts can be seen in people walking barefoot in public showers and around swimming pools. Once the virus enters the skin, it will cause an abnormal growth of skin cells which multiply and become like a cauliflower in appearance.
As the wart grows in size, it becomes painful and can stunt the nail growth. In some circumstances, the warts can cause the nail to end up detached from the finger if the wart starts to grow under the nail whether alone or in clusters.
Treatment of periungal warts
- You can utilize over-the-counter medications for removal. Regular application of this liquid can help in the removal of the warts.
- Utilize thuja which is helpful in removing warts. All you have to do is to apply thuja liquid externally. There are also oral pills which are effective in removing warts without any difficulty.
- A traditional way of removing warts is using adhesive tape. Apply the tape on the wart. Make sure that you will choose a tape that does not allow free air circulation. Replace the tape on a daily basis. Perform this procedure for 5 days in a week since regular application of these tapes will eventually cause the wart fall off.
- Cryotherapy which involves the use of liquid nitrogen is a good treatment option for the removal of periungual warts. The nitrogen freezes the warts and within 1-2 days, they will fall off. Just remember though that this therapy will leave behind scars on the affected area.