The appearance of warts in the hair or on the head can go unnoticed by a person, they are detected already when this neoplasm reaches a large size. Their growth may not be dangerous, however, during combing, dyeing and haircuts, papillomas are often damaged. That is why it is so important to identify the problem in a timely manner and contact specialists for help.
Reasons for appearance
On the body, warts appear after the human papillomavirus enters the body, which is present in the blood of half of the inhabitants of our planet. They can be contracted through contact or sexual contact. On the head, warts most often form after using someone else's comb. Only with low immunity, the virus is activated and further multiplies. A strong defense system can independently detect a foreign organism and control its amount, preventing infection.
Causes of immunodeficiency conditions
When immunodeficiencies develop, infection occurs. They appear after:
- prolonged physical or mental fatigue;
- colds suffered by the patient;
- hormonal treatment;
- constantly recurring attacks of exacerbation of pathologies of a chronic type;
- the beginning of the development of HIV and oncology.
Other triggers
Severe sweating, increased functioning of the sebaceous glands, infrequent shampooing, diseases of the intestines and stomach, unhe althy lifestyle, prolonged use of antibiotics - these factors cause the growth of warts, increasing their number and increase in size. The cause of black keratomas is the old age of a person.
Types and features of diagnostics
Not all warts on the head are the same in appearance. They differ in size, color and shape. Taking into account these parameters, doctors subdivide neoplasms, highlighting:
- flat papillomas - growths are low, growing in breadth, not up;
- vulgar warts that look like round balls with a hard crust;
- hanging warts - nodules with a stalk, soft to the touch;
- Keratomas are dark brown warts with uneven edges: growth can often be accompanied by burning and itching.
The appearance of these types of papillomas on the head mostly has a positive prognosis. The likelihood of transformation of a benignformation into malignancy is low, however, it increases if the warts are injured.
Types of blood tests
You can determine whether you need to worry about the beginning of the growth of warts on your head, if you donate blood for analysis. There are three methods that allow you to determine the presence of a virus in a patient in the blood, its type, concentration and oncogenicity. These include:
- enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which determines the presence or absence of antibodies to the human papillomavirus in the blood;
- amplification test carried out using scrapings from the urethra or vaginal mucosa;
- PCR is a method based on the detection of viral DNA. For analysis, they take blood or a smear from the mucous membrane, urine (if a woman is pregnant, then amniotic fluid).
The implementation of all tests for a person is not uncomfortable, there is no pain. To get an accurate picture, you need to stop drinking antibacterial agents and using personal hygiene products three days before the procedures. You do not need to wash your face on the day of donation, it is best to donate blood on an empty stomach. Two days before the analysis, it is advisable to follow a light diet, avoid spicy and fried foods, alcoholic beverages.
A photo of a wart on the head in the hair is shown below.
How does the appearance of a wart differ from other formations?
It is difficult to distinguish an outwardly common wart on the head in the hair from a malignant neoplasm. However, an experiencedable to do so in a number of ways.
On the scalp, in most cases, flat or simple warts grow. Their sizes are small (from five to ten millimeters), hair can grow through them, and this factor allows the growths to be perfectly masked. They can only be detected when the wart grows to a large size, due to frequent combing of the hair, it can be injured. If the integrity of the wart is constantly violated, then the likelihood of malignancy increases.
A common wart on the head (pictured) is different from genital warts. The latter resemble multiple growths, similar in shape to pyramids. They are brown or flesh in color and grow up to five millimeters in height.
Flat warts
Flat warts are single formations, in their structure they resemble small platforms that rise 1-2 millimeters above the skin, flat warts are similar in structure to neoplasms assembled from a large number of lobules.
When a wart grows slowly and reaches a certain size, do not worry. The uniform structure and color, the absence of pus discharge from the growth make it possible to make positive predictions.
Dangerous warts
Dangerous are warts on the head under the hair, growing rapidly, from which bloody or watery secretions are released. Determination of an uneven structure of irregular shape or color, the presence of additional growths, due to which the wartreminiscent of a head of cauliflower, should be a reason for the patient to contact a dermatologist.
The risk of life-threatening diseases increases if parts of the growth spontaneously fall off, erosion, ulcers and other defects form on its surface. Only a doctor, after carrying out all the necessary tests, will prescribe the proper treatment, which will make it possible to maintain human he alth and get rid of a cosmetic defect that is unpleasant for a person.
What should I do if I have a wart on my head?
Treatment
In case of inflammation, it is better to remove it. This can be done in many ways. The safest are medical procedures that have a high percentage of good reviews and low rates of future complications. To remove a benign growth, a specialist may suggest the following procedures:
- Cryodestruction, during which the nodule is affected by liquid nitrogen. The wart cells are frozen, then the growth turns black, dries up and falls off on its own. With a small build-up, one procedure is enough. If the roots of the neoplasm have grown deep into the skin layers, it will require repeated manipulation after two weeks to remove it. After that, there are no scars or marks left on the head. Thanks to the dosed use of nitrogen, hair follicles are preserved on the head.
- Laser removal is a method that is often chosen to remove small multiple papillomas. The use of a laser givesthe ability to both excise the neoplasm and seal the vessels that feed it, and therefore the likelihood of bleeding is minimized. There are no traces left on the head after the operation, the follicles are not destroyed due to the laser, so hair growth is not interrupted in the future. The laser is not used to remove a wart on the head if the formation is too large.
- Thermoregulation. A method of removing warts when they are affected by high-frequency current. It is used quite widely due to its ease of use, it makes it possible to ensure high performance, however, after the influence, scars will remain on the dermis, hair no longer grows at the resection site.
- Surgical excision is an intervention that is carried out with a scalpel. During its implementation, not only the papilloma itself is excised, but also the skin layers under it. Then the wound is sutured. This method of removal is chosen when it is necessary to get rid of a large wart. After the operation, in any case, a scar will remain, and hair will no longer grow in its place.
What other treatment for warts on the head is used?
Also, there are pharmacy solutions, with which warts are cauterized. The most popular among them is the drug "Ferezol". This is a caustic substance that helps get rid of the wart with a single cauterization. It can be used if the size of the neoplasm is not more than two millimeters. This product cannot be used to remove warts in pregnant women and young children.
A milder drug - "Verrukacid". Thanks to its use, it is possible to eliminate a benign neoplasm in two or three cauterizing procedures. The most affordable way to chemically eliminate a wart is an iodine solution. They need to cauterize the wart once or twice a day for a week. Any chemicals should be applied directly to the growth, trying to avoid getting the drug on he althy areas of the skin. Before using the substance, the hair must be smeared with petroleum jelly and covered with a film.
Traditional medicine methods
Traditional medicine also has many ways to burn warts on the scalp at home. However, their use becomes possible only after diagnostic studies that prove the absence of the transformation of a neoplasm into a malignant one.
For the goals set, the following means are best suited:
- Potatoes. To prepare the drug, take young shoots, fill half of the jar with a capacity of one liter with them, fill the other half with celandine grass and thuja shoots. Pour all this with alcohol, leave for two weeks in a dark place. After this period, a remedy will be obtained with which the warts are smeared three times a day. They should turn black.
- Celandine. Juice is extracted from fresh stems, which is applied directly to the papilloma three times a day. After a while, it begins to turn black and dry. Then it falls for sure.
- Apple cider vinegar. Mix 200 grams of vinegarwith s alt (50 grams), apply the mixture on the wart, fixing with a patch. It is necessary to do applications until the formation turns black.
The safest is cabbage juice extracted from the leaves. It is necessary to lubricate the growth with them three times a day every day. This method takes a lot of time, however, the result will be noticeable.
Can I dye my hair?
If there is a benign neoplasm on the head, hair can be dyed, however, this is undesirable. When bleeding from a wart after staining, severe itching and pain, you should immediately consult a dermatologist.
