Causes

Plantar warts, like any other kind of wart, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus thrives in moist places and lives in the mucus beneath the tissue of the skin. The main points about the virus to note are:

• It can survive for long amounts of time without having a host body. For instance, it can stay, dormant on the moist floor of a shower cubicle for several weeks without dying, until it finds a host – i.e. an unsuspecting person – who walks on the area with bare feet.
• It is incurable. Once the virus is contracted, it remains. Symptoms may not always be present and the virus can lay dormant for years before flaring up. Warts may disappear on their own without any treatment and never come back or they could re-occur all the time after treatment.
• It enters the body through cracks in the skin. These cracks can be so tiny that they are not seen by the naked eye. Those who suffer from broken or dry skin can be especially susceptible to the infection.
• It is extremely contagious. Skin to skin contact with an infected person is all it takes for the infection to spread to somebody else. With plantar warts, sharing towels, walking barefoot in public swimming pools and changing rooms are the most common ways to contract the feet dwelling warts.

Appearance

Verrucas can appear slightly different to common warts because of their position on the body. They appear mostly on the ball or heel of the foot as these are the places which make contact with the ground. Because of this, they tend to be either flat or inverted as the weight of the body puts pressure on the warts whilst a person stands or walks.

This type of skin lesion is generally round, often leaving a ring of paler skin with a dark spot in the middle which is the clustered blood vessels. The color of the warts and nature of the hard skin they produce can often lead people to mistakenly thinking that they are calluses on the feet rather than verrucas. A good way of discerning whether or not this is true is that verrucas can be painful to stand on.

Treatment

Verrucas are not dangerous but should be treated so that they don’t cause pain or spread by sharing contact with other parts of the foot or body.

If the warts don’t go away on their own, which they often do, then a dermatologist will be able to give advice on the best course of action to take. There are a number of medical procedures which remove warts quickly, or alternatively, there are topical creams and gels such as Bazuka which are applied to the area. Finding the right option is an individual choice and with so many options out there, it should be relatively easy to find a fitting solution. 

Skin tags are small lumps of tissue containing collagen and blood vessels, which are flesh like in color that protrude from the surrounding skin and are attached by a small stalk. They are a similar size and shape to a small rice crispy and can be found anywhere on the body. The most common places where one would find such a skin lesion are:

• Eyelids
• Buttock creases
• Belly creases
• Neck
• Behind the knees
• Armpits
• Groin
• Under breasts

The skin lesions are not dangerous in any way and can be removed without any worry or danger, in fact many people who have skin tags may not even notice as the tags can fall off themselves without ever having caused a problem to be noticed by the person.

Risk factors

Medical experts believe skin tags are mainly formed by friction caused by skin rubbing against skin or clothing which would explain why they are most common in areas where the body has natural folds and creases. For this reason, one of the main risk factors which can lead to the appearance of skin tags is obesity. Overweight people naturally have more skin folds, which in turn mean more skin rubbing on skin. Other risk factors include:

• Pregnancy – hormonal changes could play havoc with the production of skin cells and collagen, leading to them forming abnormalities such as skin tags.
• Genetics – A substantial percentage of people who experience skin tags will know at least one close family member who also suffers with the lesions.
• Steroids – People who use body building steroids can suffer from skin tags due to the extra weight they gain and the effect the steroids have on their hormones.

Skin tags can appear at any stage through life although people are more likely to suffer, or at least notice, after mid-life.

Diabetes type 2 and skin tags

Over recent years there has been a high amount of interest shown in the apparent link between diabetes 2 and skin tags.

Firstly, people with diabetes 2 can quite often gain weight. As mentioned before, this is one of the main risk factors pertaining to skin tags. However studies have shown that skin tags may be a sign of insulin resistance, also a sign of diabetes type 2. Furthermore, studies have shown that when treatment was given to sufferers of this form of diabetes for their inability to process carbohydrates in the correct manner (a classic symptom of the disease), not only did the treatment work for the diabetes symptom, but those with skin tags saw the disappearance of the skin lesions.

Up until this point, a relatively small amount of research had been conducted on skin tags and their cause due to the fact that they are relatively easy to remove and pose no threat to a person’s health. With this new revelation though, experts are extremely interested in seeing if more information can’t be found out about both diabetes and skin tags, wondering if the answer to one lies within the other. Hopefully the new studies and research will soon be able to answer the question; how do you get skin tags?

• Common – Small hard and rough to the touch, the common warts can spread anywhere around the body but are mainly found on the hands, knees and elbows.
• Plantar – Plantar warts grow on the feet, mainly on the soles which give them a flat appearance due to the pressure being exerted on them all the time whilst the person stands or walks. Plantar warts are also known to be quite painful sometimes because of this.
• Flat warts – Generally found in children, these warts are smaller than other warts, can grow in clusters and are lighter in color.
• Filiform – Long, narrow and cone shape and color similar to that of the surrounding skin, these warts are often confused for skin tags.
• Periungual – These warts are found close to or even under the nails on the fingers and toes. Depending on where they grow, they can inhibit the growth of nails or even separate the nail from the flesh by growing underneath the nail.
• Genital – Genital warts are highly contagious and can be contracted through sexual contact. They will not spread anywhere else apart from the genital area but can be found internally and externally.

Removal

There are several methods to remove warts; however, there is no way to cure HPV so there is always risk of the warts returning after removal. As this is the case, many people seek to remove warts naturally at home as it can be cheaper and more convenient than return trips to the doctors or repeatedly buying expensive creams. The following methods can be used on most forms of warts with the exception of genital warts.

Pineapple Juice

Applying pineapple juice (from a fresh pineapple) two or three times daily to the art before covering with a band aid is said to make the art disappear within a week or so. It is important to change the band aid each time and continue doing so until the wart has disappeared. Enzymes within the juice are said to break down the cells within the wart.

Garlic

Garlic has many properties within it which are good for fighting viral infections. Eating plenty of garlic can help the body combat the problem from the inside out but a great way to remove warts naturally is to spot treat the area with some crushed garlic for quick results.

• Wash the area thoroughly and pat dry with a clean towel.
• Take a Vitamin E capsule and stab it with a pin so the oil is allowed to leak out a little and apply the oil to the skin surrounding the wart for protection.
• Crush some garlic and rub it into the wart directly.
• Cover for 24 hours.
• The wart should blister slightly before falling off within a week to ten days.

Dandelion

One of the oldest natural remedies for wart removal is the milky sap from a dandelion. Simply pick a dandelion and squeeze the stem of it until the sap is released. Rub this milky fluid directly onto the wart. After doing this three times daily for a number of days, the wart will disappear.

Moles can not only be unsightly, but irritating as well if it is in a position to get caught on clothing. There are numerous removal techniques; however, laser mole removal therapy has been gaining increasing popularity lately.

What is it?

Laser treatment for moles uses a beam of concentrated light which travels in one direction. The melanin within the mole, which gives it its dark color, soaks up the light and converts the energy to heat. This intense heat then breaks down the cells within the mole. As the healing process takes effect, the body’s natural reaction is to absorb the cells which have been broken down back into the body.

The treatment does not require cutting or stitching, meaning a minimal risk of scarring and infection. However the procedure is better used on flat moles, rather than larger or raised moles due to the fact that the laser is unable to penetrate too deeply.

Procedure

The treatment is simple and straight forward, normally being carried out under out-patient circumstances.

• Preparation – Patients are asked to stay out of the sun for three to four weeks before the treatment. If this is impossible for some reason, the patient should use sun lotion with a high SPF, to protect the mole. The area is cleaned thoroughly before the procedure, with any make-up being removed. In some cases, pictures are taken in order for the patient and surgeons to see the effect that the treatment is having on the mole. Lastly, local anesthetic may be administered, though this is not always the case and depends entirely on the circumstances.
• Procedure – Using a hand held piece of apparatus, the surgeon aims the laser at the mole and pulses of light are released. In some cases, there may be some fluid sprayed onto the mole to cool it down before the laser is used. The time in which it takes for the treatment to be completed is dependent on the size of the mole. The treatment can cause a mild to moderate tingling sensation but is not considered painful.
• Aftercare – Afterwards, the area will be red and slightly inflamed, although there should be no oozing. The mole itself may be darker in color and appear dry and shriveled, all are good signs. Aloe Vera gel can be applied to the area as it has anti-septic soothing qualities which will help to cool the area and eliminate risk of infection. Shortly after surgery, the mole should scab over. It is imperative that patients do not pick at the scab, but simply let it fall off of its own accord. Aloe gel should continue to be used after the scab has fallen off and any other make-up or creams can be used once the redness has dissipated.

Where do they grow?

Warts can grow absolutely anywhere on the body, including the genital area (internal and external) depending on the strain of the virus which has been contracted. The most common places for general warts to grow are:

• Hands
• Feet
• Back
• Legs
• Face

Different strains of the virus can cause the warts to present in different forms:

• Common warts – small, raised skin lesions with a rough surface. Most often found on the knuckles, knees elbows and fingers.
• Verrucas – Seen on the soles of the feet. Because of this they often grow up into the skin rather than out of it. This particular type of wart may appear to be lighter in color to the surrounding skin with a black spot in the middle.
• Plane warts – Mostly seen in children, these warts are round and smooth and can be found mostly on the hands, neck and face.
• Filiform warts – Long and thin in their appearance, often presenting themselves on the eyelids, neck and armpits. These can often be confused with skin tags but the two are not the same.
• Mosaic – As the name suggests, these warts grow in groups that resemble a mosaic pattern.

Are they contagious?

All forms of warts are extremely contagious. HPV is an aggressive virus which only needs a slight opening in the skin, such as tiny cracks from dried skin, to be able to enter the blood stream and infect a person. 

The virus can also survive without a host for a substantial amount of time. It dwells in moist places, which is why public showers and swimming baths are known to be at the top of the list of most likely places to contract a verruca.

If a person is known to be infected, contact should be avoided and personal items should not be shared to minimize the risk of being infected. For the most part the virus is passed on through touch and direct skin contact. In the case of genital warts, they are most often spread through sexual intercourse.

One thing to note about the virus is that it can sometimes be dormant, showing no signs at all (such as warts). If there are no warts present then it may be harder to contract the virus but still possible.

Can the virus be cured?

There is no cure for the human papilloma virus, although there are treatments to remove troublesome or painful warts. Chemical solutions to the problem can be used by doctors to burn or freeze the warts. In addition to this there are a variety of creams and gels for the lesions as well as a plethora of natural home remedies. If a person is concerned about warts of any kind, they should seek a doctor’s advice for the best course of action. In most cases, the problem can be easily solved.

Causes

The exact cause or causes of skin tags are unknown, though it is thought that friction caused by skin rubbing against skin or clothing may be a leading culprit; this is substantiated by the fact that the most common places for the tags to appear are places on the body which receive a lot of this kind of friction such as:

• Eyelids
• Chest, particularly underneath the breasts
• Buttock folds
• Stomach folds

For this reason, people who are obese may be more prone to skin tags occurring. There is also a strong relation between skin tags and type ll diabetes. In addition to this, those who suffer with an abundance of skin tags (over 50) will often have a close relative who is also prone to the skin lesions, so there is some evidence to suggest that genetics could play a part.

Treatment and removal

Many people may not even notice that they have skin tags before they rub off on their own, painlessly. However for those who are not so lucky, the tags may constantly irritate the person when they move, or be in a place that is noticeable, causing the person to seek out methods of removal. Fortunately there are many such methods available and they can be categorized into three distinct segments:

• Natural home remedies
• Over the counter products
• Chemical treatments

Each has their own merits and disadvantages.

Natural home remedies forego any harmful chemicals and use products that one can normally find in the house or be purchased easily and inexpensively. Many of the natural ingredients cited in such remedies contain elements which are used in over the counter products. For instance, lemon juice is used in many of the natural solutions, and the acids found within the juice can be found in many of the creams and topical solutions bought in the stores. It is well worth trying some natural remedies as there is little to no risk involved and everything to be gained.

Over the counter products such as gels and creams have a variety of different ingredients which work to remove skin tags. Some are better than others and research should be done before buying any product in order to avoid costly mistakes. Most treatments aim to disrupt the cells which have clumped together to form the tissue, destroying the skin tag.

Chemical treatments are carried out by a doctor who normally freezes or cuts the skin tag off. This procedure is quick and simple, requiring no anesthetic in most cases. There can be scarring with this type of removal so it is not always the first choice for skin tags in particularly noticeable places such as the face.

For the most part, moles are not harmful and many people carry on with their lives not thinking too much about them; however, there are certain moles which may be cancerous. Of these moles, a percentage of them lead to melanoma; the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Standard procedure to check moles

Moles should be checked regularly to look for any changes which may indicate that there is something wrong with the lesion. There are a few things which should be looked for in particular:

• Asymmetry. Is one half of the mole different to the other?
• Borders. Is the border rough or blurred?
• Color. Is the color blotchy or does it have different shades in it?
• Diameter. Is the diameter of the mole bigger than a pencil?
• Evolution. Has the mole changed shape, size or color since the last time it was checked?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions then a doctor should be seen. As the doctor evaluates the moles based on their appearance and any other symptoms the patient may have, they will often take a biopsy of the mole in question to send off to the lab and have tested to see whether it is cancerous or not.

A biopsy is used to describe the procedure of removing sample tissue in order to test it. The surface of the mole is either shaved, or a punch biopsy is performed where a small circle of tissue is removed. The test results are normally returned in around a week’s time.

MoleMate

MoleMate is a small hand-held device used to produce images of the tissue cells beneath the mole. The system uses light to penetrate the surface of the mole and capture pictures of the cells beneath. This means that there is no need for any incisions to be made on the skin, which could lead to scars and also that patients are able to receive answers to whether or not their moles are benign there and then.

The procedure is pain free, quick, less expensive and accurate. With melanoma claiming thousands of lives every year, medical professionals are excited about this technology as it offers doctors the chance to diagnose the cancer in a quick and efficient manner, which with melanoma, is extremely important as the success rate for cases which are caught in the early stages of the cancer is around 99%.

Features on the device allow images of each mole to be captured, logged and compared. This means that moles can be monitored efficiently and those which are considered to be a higher risk can be watched carefully. The small device could completely tip the balance in the fight against skin cancer.

Types of Moles

There are various types of moles, which have their own characteristics:

• Average skin mole – A dark brown or black mole, generally round or oval in shape. These do not tend to be dangerous at all and can be found anywhere on the body. They are generally contracted before the age of 30. They can be any size, with some being raised whilst others are flat.
• Congenital Nevi – Moles that are present from birth. An estimated 1% of the population has this form of skin lesion. There is a greater risk of this type of mole becoming cancerous than the average skin mole.
• Dysplastic Nevi – Large moles with irregular shaped edges. The color also varies within this form of mole with it being darker in the middle and lighter as it radiates outwards. Those who suffer with dysplastic nevi could have over 100 of these moles on their body. With such a high volume of moles, there is a greater risk again of contracting skin cancer.

How to Tell if a Mole is Dangerous

Moles should be checked regularly to watch for changes. Even those which have remained the same for years should be watched for changes, especially those which are on places of the body which receive regular exposure to sunlight. Those with congenital or dysplastic nevi should be especially vigilant in checking the status of each skin lesion on the body. Whilst this may seem like a painstaking task, it could be very important should any changes be noted as treatments are more successful the sooner any dangerous diagnosis is made.

When examining each mole, there is a set of guidelines which are helpful to establish whether or not a person need be concerned. These are called the ABCDEs:

• A – Asymmetry meaning that the two halves of the mole are not the same. For example, one half is bigger than the other.
• B – Border; if the borders of the mole or not solid, rough or abnormal in any way.
• C – Color; if the color of the mole looks to be blotchy or has hints of different colors such as white, red or blue.
• D – Diameter; moles with large diameters (wider than a pencil).
• E – Evolution; if any of the previously mentioned change has occurred i.e. size, shape or color.

If any of these changes should occur, or if a new mole appears then individuals must see a doctor immediately. 

Mole Removal

If a mole is benign there are a range of non-surgical methods which can be used to safely remove troublesome moles. Many people do not bother with such methods and prefer to leave the mole alone as it is not doing them any harm however for some, the moles may be irritating or in a place where they are highly visible.

Moles that are suspected of being precancerous or cancerous require great care to be taken if they are to be removed and a doctor should be consulted to make sure it is absolutely safe to remove the mole. In most cases, surgical procedures are used to remove dangerous skin lesions of this kind.

Skin Care Routine

A good skin care routine will promote healthy looking and feeling skin and raise levels of self confidence in a person. For soft, supple and healthy skin it is important to:

• Cleanse – Washing skin regularly with a gentle body wash cleans the daily dirt which is gathered on the top layer of the skin.
• Exfoliate – This will remove the dead skin cells which gather on the surface and simultaneously stimulate the regeneration of healthy tissue growth. Although cleansing and exfoliation are listed separately here, there are many exfoliating body washes on the market which happily combine these two steps easily, saving time for those who may think they are “too busy” for proper skin care.
• Tone – Toning solutions restore the PH in the skin that may have come out of balance with the necessary cleansing process.
• Moisturize – Moisturizing daily will prevent the skin from becoming dry, flakey and sore. Many moisturizer creams act as a barrier to protect the skin from excess dirt particles gathering in the pores.
• Diet

Many toxins in the body are released through via the skin. When this happens, it can often cause imperfections such as an outbreak of spots. The best way to avoid this from happening is to eat a balanced healthy diet. By doing so the amount of toxins is kept to a minimum and certain vitamins contained within fruit and vegetables actively combat existing bacteria in the body.

Keeping the body hydrated at all times is essential to healthy skin. The body has a high water content naturally and this water is used up with even the simplest functions such as breathing. As the body’s vital organs use the water supply, water is drawn away from the skin. Drinking fluids, the best being water, throughout the day will counteract this.

A healthy diet will also illuminate rapid weight gain which is the cause for problems such as:

• Skin tags – small bumps in the skin which usually occur around the neck, armpits groin and chest areas.
• Stretch marks – caused by the middle layer of the skin tearing as it stretches

Sun Protection

UV rays emitted from the sun cause an increase in freckles and moles which are undesired by many. Sun burn can often cause the skin to peel as it sheds UV damaged skin cells whereas regular prolonged exposure to sun is amongst the top causes of ageing of the skin.

It is important to protect against these symptoms of sun damage by staying in during the hours which UV levels are at their highest (10am and 3pm). If this cannot be done, staying out of direct sunlight is recommended or applying a sun cream with a suitably high SPF factor regularly.

Benefits

Healthy skin not only looks great, instilling great confidence levels, but it is important to the overall health of a person. The skin is the outermost layer of the body and serves as a protection barrier to what is contained within. Healthy skin is allowed to perform its duty to keep harmful bacteria out of the body in a much more efficient way than unhealthy skin.

The answer is understandable when considering the fact that Ultra Violet (UV) radiation levels from the sun of 3 or below provide sufficient levels of vitamin D in the body without burning or damaging the skin. UV levels are higher in the summer months than in winter months, with summer months regularly seeing UV levels greater than 3 and the opposite being true for winter months.

Sun damage

Sun damage occurs when high levels of UV rays are able to penetrate the layers of the skin.  This causes the skin cells to suffer UV radiation, sometimes causing irreparable damage.  This damage can cause the appearance of skin to age dramatically over time, changing the color and texture.  When skin is burnt by the sun, a chemical reaction occurs, encouraging leakage of fluids from cells in the skin.  In extreme cases this can lead to swelling and blistering.  The body’s natural defense to this situation is to disperse of the damaged skin cells, thus bringing about the peeling process often associated with sun burn.

In addition to these cosmetic hazards, damaged skin cells have a greater risk of becoming cancerous.  Experts say that children, fair-skinned people and pregnant women at a higher risk of this happening, especially if sunburn has occurred during childhood.  With an estimated 123,590 new cases of melanoma (common form of skin cancer) being discovered in the USA alone in 2011, it is imperative that the correct care is taken to protect the skin.

Signs

Freckles and moles are extremely common for many people.  Their appearance usually occurs in childhood.  Whilst being harmless themselves, moles and freckles could be a sign that the owner may have some form of sun damage or that they are more likely to obtain some in the future and would do well to take extra precautionary measures.

Certain marks on the skin may be signs of skin cancer and if a person is worried about this, a doctor should be consulted.

Protection

Staying indoors between the hours of 10am and 3pm is an effective way to protect the skin from sun damage.   This is because the suns UV levels are their highest during this time period.  Whilst working or at school, this may be relatively easy to do, however for those who enjoy going on sunny holidays and love the look of smooth, healthy tanned skin; staying indoors might not be something they could do.  The following are steps to be taken to ensure the look of sexy summer skin without putting the individual’s health at risk:

• Wear a hat and sun glasses – the skin on the face is especially sensitive, in particular the eye area. A hat will keep the face in shadow, keeping harmful UV rays at bay.  Sunglasses will protect the eyes themselves as well as the surrounding skin.
• Sun cream – Many people believe that the use of sun cream will inhibit the ability to gain an impressive tan.  This is completely untrue and it is possible to protect the skin cells whilst gaining a tan with a good sun cream.  Children must have a sun cream of at least factor 40 applied regularly to protect their delicate skin against harmful rays.
• Moisturize – Whilst this will not protect skin from sun damage, it will replace the moisture that has been lost due to prolonged exposure it.