Warts in children and what you can do about it

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warts-in-children-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

Warts in children – a tiresome topic. But no reason to panic. The benign growths are not dangerous for children. Nevertheless, they should be observed and if necessary removed, because warts are highly contagious. 

Warts are common  , especially among schoolchildren . About three out of ten children are affected by warts at this age. The reasons are obvious: children have much more skin contact with each other . Whether in the swimming pool, the day-care center, school sports, there are always children in touch. Ideal conditions for the viruses to spread further. At the same time, the child’s immune system is not yet fully developed and the skin is more sensitive . Especially dry skin is prone to warts as the skin barrier is disturbed. Thus, the viruses that cause warts are not as effectively fended off as our adults.

These are the most common warts in children

Three types are common among children: vulgar warts, thorn or mollusc warts. 

Vulgar warts:

  • account for about 70 percent of the cases
  • Appearance : scaly, pea-sized bumps, similar to a cauliflower. They usually form on fingers, hands, soles or face.
  • Pathogen : Human Papillomaviruses (HPV)
  • Transmission : by smear infections, so by body contact

plantar warts

  • can cause pain when walking
  • Appearance: flat to slightly arched and recognizable as a circle with dark spots. They grow on the soles of the feet, where they form long, pointed stems that project like thorns deep into the skin
  • Pathogen:  Human Papillomaviruses (HPV)
  • Transmission : by smear infections, so by body contact

molluscum

  • Appearance : resembles pimples, are skin-colored to slightly reddish and have a dent in the middle.
  • Often they oversea skin on the face, neck, arms and legs.
  • Pathogen : Mollusc warts are caused by a harmless pox virus.
  • Transmission: The fluid in the mollusc warts contains highly infectious viruses, so do not express these warts.

Treat warts in children

First of all, keep calm . As long as the wart does not bother, nothing needs to be done. So you can wait and see if the annoying wart disappears all by itself . This is the case with two-thirds of children’s warts. However, it can take between three months and two years  . Nothing for the impatient. If you do not want to wait for this, there are different treatment options available:

  • special tinctures and patches of salicylic acid from the pharmacy. These soften the surface of the wart so that the horny layer can gradually be removed.
  • Icing sprays from the pharmacy also help. Usually, two to three applications of the LPG mixture are sufficient to remove warts in children.
  • In addition, the physician may prescribe agents containing a virus-killing agent .
  • If the wart is very persistent or hurts when walking, the doctor may freeze, laser or surgically remove it.

Prevent warts in children: You can do that

  1. Wear flip-flops: Since warts are often introduced from the swimming pool in children, wearing flip-flops is an important measure to avoid unpleasant souvenirs.
  2. Dry well: After bathing thoroughly dry your feet, including the toe gaps.
  3. Washing: Wash hands regularly with soap.
  4. Stay away: If a wart is still overgrown, do not touch it or push it around.
  5. Showers: Has someone from the family captured a plantar wart, better not to bathe or take a shower together?
  6. In the washing machine: Wash towels, socks and socks always at 60 degrees, so that not all family members are infected.