Brush warts are a subgroup of vulgar warts. Due to their distinctive appearance, they are a major cosmetic problem for many affected people. They often form on the face, for example on the eye or mouth. A doctor can reliably remove brush warts.
You can find further information and selected brush wart specialists here.
Brush warts are medically known as verrucae filiformes. They belong to a subcategory of vulgar warts. Brush warts are relatively rare, although like other warts they are highly contagious. They almost never develop malignantly.
Their appearance is particularly distinctive for brush warts. They usually appear as thread-like growths that resemble a paintbrush. They are particularly visually disturbing for the person affected.
Brush warts can be pink or white in color. The individual growths often have a small brown dot at the tip.
This type of wart is particularly common on the face of the person affected. Brush warts often occur
and forehead.
You must never try to scrape off, cut off or cauterize the wart. You could injure surrounding tissue. In addition, viruses can escape, which can then also infect other areas of the body.
Only rarely does a single brush wart occur on its own. Usually an offshoot is found after a short time.
Brush warts often develop on the eyelid, for example © Schweintechnik | Wikimedia
As with other warts, human papillomaviruses (HPV) are responsible for the outbreak of brush warts.
HP viruses are transmitted via smear infection. Brush warts are particularly common around the mouth. Therefore, the most common cause of infection is kissing an already infected person.
Mere physical contact is usually enough to become infected with brush warts. If the pathogens are on the hands or fingers, they can quickly reach the face through everyday movements.
When a brush wart forms, those affected usually feel a slight pulling sensation in the respective area of skin. However, this only lasts for a few days. Once the brush wart has fully formed, it does not cause any discomfort. Inflammation or the formation of pus are also very rare.
Only if the brush wart is unfavorably positioned on the lips can it cause discomfort. In exceptional cases, they can be injured by the chewing movements of the mouth. Only in this case would removal be necessary from a medical point of view: Removal reduces the risk of infection and the patient can eat normally again.
Brush warts are therefore usually only a cosmetic problem for the person affected.
A diagnosis of brush warts is made very quickly, as the doctor usually only needs to take one look. Only the brush wart forms the typical little fingers. It is therefore easy to distinguish from other types of warts.
In the case of conspicuous changes in appearance, which are however very rare, a tissue sample can also help to establish the diagnosis. This is carried out to rule out a possible tumor disease.
If you are affected by a brush wart, consult a doctor. He or she will recommend the most promising method.
As with other types of warts, icing is a very popular method. The wart is frozen at very low temperatures, causing the cells to die. The wart then falls off on its own after a short time.
However, cryotherapy cannot always be used for brush warts. As brush warts often form directly on the eye, the risk to the eye is too great.
Icing is only associated with very slight pain and is absolutely promising. It often achieves good results and virtually eliminates the risk of recurrence.
Another treatment method is scraping out the brush warts. This is usually the first method chosen by doctors in the case of unfavorable colonization. This is a surgical procedure.
The tissue of the brush wart is completely removed. This procedure is very unpleasant for many of those affected. Children are always given anesthesia for this procedure. This keeps them calm and less frightened.
Laser treatment can also be used to remove brush warts. This procedure should only be carried out by trained specialists. Small mistakes can have serious consequences. This applies in particular to the removal of brush warts on the eye.
This method is also only associated with slight pain and quickly leads to success.
Cauterization in this context means cauterizing the wart with acidic agents.
Brush warts usually form near sensitive mucous membranes. For this reason, cauterization and cytostatics are very rarely used to treat brush warts. These methods are only used for brush warts on the chin.
Electrocoagulation is comparable to wart removal using a laser. Here too, the brush warts are destroyed by a high temperature. This causes mild to moderate pain.
Although this method is also promising, it is no longer used frequently. Laser treatment is used instead.
You should avoid using home remedies. Their effectiveness has not been scientifically proven and you can do a lot wrong.
Like other warts, brush warts are highly contagious. However, you can eliminate many risks of infection with a few simple behaviors.
Always ensure good hygiene. Wash your hands several times a day. This is particularly important if you come into contact with surfaces that have been touched by many others.
Don't touch your face so often. This also prevents pathogens from getting there from your fingers. It is very easy to become infected with brush warts through everyday facial care. Cream or make-up are the main transmission routes. But caution is also advised when shaving.
Do not share your care and cosmetic products with others!
Strengthen your immune system. With an intact immune system, viruses find it difficult to establish themselves in the body. Exercise, avoid alcohol and nicotine and eat a balanced diet.
If you already have a brush wart, wash your hands thoroughly after touching it. In particular, do not touch your face after touching it. Brush warts are highly contagious and are easily spread by such contact.
If you follow these rules of conduct, you will make it more difficult for brush warts to spread.
