(Photo = Provided by Korea University Anam Hospital)
[리서치페이퍼 김상호 기자] Mr. Park (45 years old, male), whose hobby is hiking, hiked nearby every weekend as the spring season got warmer. One day I noticed there were hard, white, keratinous things on the soles of my feet. I thought I had gotten a callus from the hike, so I just scratched it with my hand and ignored it. A few days later two or three more similar lesions appeared, spread across the palm of my hand, and after checking that the number was increasing, I went to the hospital and they diagnosed me with warts, not calluses.
Warts, a viral skin disease, are a disease that occurs when the human papilloma virus (HPV) infects the surface of the skin. It occurs primarily on the hands and feet, and although it is relatively rare, it can occur anywhere on the skin of the body, including the scalp, face, and torso. Most papules are between 1 and 4 mm in size and have a rough, protruding surface, but depending on their location they can have a smooth surface or a flat thickness and, in some cases, they can be dark in color.
Warts are a disease that spreads through direct person-to-person contact, but caution is needed as they can be transmitted indirectly, for example through clothing, towels or shoes. If symptoms appear, notify family members and avoid direct contact with the lesion. In general, adults with healthy skin immunity do not need to be overly anxious because even if direct contact with warts occurs unintentionally, they are not necessarily contagious, but children and adolescents with weak immune systems need more caution.
After the virus infects the skin, it takes several months or longer to grow to the point where it can be seen with the naked eye, so in most cases the route of infection cannot be confirmed. When seen with the naked eye, they are very similar to corns or calluses, so they often get worse and spread when people initially try to remove them by scratching or tearing them. It is important to treat it early before it spreads to other areas.
The risk of infection increases if the warts are on the skin or remain wet for a long time. Furthermore, if dermatitis such as atopic dermatitis is not treated in time and the skin barrier is damaged or the skin or systemic immunity is low, the possibility of infection increases. If you have red, itchy skin, you should see a dermatologist for early treatment. Managing stress and maintaining a healthy immune system, including your skin, through regular exercise such as stretching and jogging can help prevent it.
Treatment methods for warts include cryotherapy, drug therapy, electrocautery, laser therapy, and immunotherapy. Pain, blistering, and discoloration may occur after the procedure, but they may improve over time, so you should continue to receive treatment and strive to maintain a healthy immune status. The cure rate is 60-70%, but depending on the patient’s immune system, recurrence occurs in approximately 20%. To increase the cure rate, it is important to receive ongoing treatment from a dermatologist until a cure is diagnosed.
Professor Kim Dae-hyun from the Department of Dermatology at Anam Hospital of Korea University said: “In spring, daily temperature differences increase, sweating increases and the time spent doing outdoor sports increases, the which can lead to large and small wounds on the hands and feet.” . In this case, warts are more likely to develop and spread. “If you have a wart, you should not touch or peel it off with your hands and should consult a dermatologist,” he said. “You should be careful not only when the wart lesion comes into contact with other people’s skin, but also when you touch it yourself, as it can be transmitted to others, and try to manage your daily stress and immune system. “Do it,” he advised.
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