The tree man syndrome is a skin syndrome or disease that is signed with the growth of the big warts on hands, feet, and even the entire body. The real name of the disease is Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) that is caused by the infection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). There is a genetic factor behind it, and this disease is considered very rare. Based on the report, there are only 200 cases of EV starting from appearing for the first time in 1922.
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Unfortunately, the tree man syndrome is considered difficult to heal. However, by knowing the symptoms since the beginning and conducting treatments, it is helpful enough to prevent the condition from getting worse. Indeed, many patients have just realized that they have this problem after the condition is worse, it makes their conditions more terrible.
Symptoms of the Tree Man Syndrome
In the first stage, the syndrome may not be recognized very easily since the signs are very similar to other skin diseases. One of them is the appearance of lesions with flat or bumped surfaces. This sign is mainly seen in the skin areas that are radiated by sunlight. They are hands, feet, face, and ears. Some small bumps also appear and they are surrounded by wide patches. The bumps and patches may first appear on areas like arms, armpits, neck, palms, soles, and genital areas.
When the condition is getting worse, the bumps and patches are inflamed. It turns into ulceration and the amount is getting bigger from time to time. In some patients, those skin bumps are also grouped on some parts of the skin surface. When it looks like it is spreading around or the size is wider, it is very important to check the condition with the dermatologist as soon as possible.
Treatments of Tree Man Syndrome
To get the best tree man syndrome treatment, ideally, you must contact the dermatologist immediately after seeing the symptoms on your skin. Despite checking the signs of skin problems that you have experienced, the dermatologist commonly also checks and investigates the medical history of you and your family. If the symptoms are shown as an indication of EV, the dermatologist will take the sample of your skin for further research.
As a disease that cannot be healed, the EV treatment is conducted by controlling the symptoms. For example, it is by surgery to remove warts on the patient’s body. The dermatologist can also give prescriptions for drugs like Interferon, Systemic Retinoid, and 5-Fluorouracil as a part of the therapy. However, the possibility of warts to grow is still high.
The Surgery of Tree Man Syndrome
Surgery is considered the best treatment for tree man syndrome. But as it has been mentioned above, it is not totally removing the disease. It only makes the patients feel better temporarily. The surgery procedure is mainly by removing the crusty bumps and warts on the skin. The procedure is suggested to be done when the condition is still not severe. Therefore, the duration and the healing process tend to be fast.
The dermatologist may suggest the patient undergo tree man syndrome surgery once a year to prevent the warts from appearing and grow up in the future. However, it still depends on the patients’ conditions that can be different from one to another. Some drugs, including Interferon and Systemic Retinoid are recommended to consume regularly. Meanwhile, 5-Fluorouracil is the topical ointment for outer treatment.
Additionally, the patients are also better to avoid sunlight radiation. Besides, the risk of the warts growing is bigger. Besides, the possibilities to suffer from skin problems like skin cancer after the tree man syndrome are also getting bigger.