4 General characteristics of skin diseases in humans

The term "root man" or "tree man" had surprised Indonesia several years before. Various media have covered a man from West Java, Dede Koswara, who has skin disease characteristics and who developed large warts on his hands, feet, and face that made him look like a tree root.

The disease that causes Dede's disease is actually verruciform epidermodysplasia (EV). Diseases caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) are genetic (hereditary) and very rare. Noted, there have only been around 200 cases since its first appearance in 1922, including Indonesia.

This disease cannot be cured. Therefore, early recognition of symptoms can help patients and their families arrange for the necessary care with the doctor. What are the symptoms of EV?

What are the characteristics of verruciform epidermodysplasia skin disease?

EV is very easy to recognize when it has been developing for a long time or has spread throughout the body, as experienced by Dede Koswara. The characteristics of this skin condition are lesions that resemble warts on several parts of the body.

These warts are mostly brown, rough and look like bark or tree roots. For this reason, it is not uncommon for EV to be known as the "tree" syndrome.

Warts in EV patients develop. However, this condition is usually harmless and is not a type of skin cancer.

EV can actually be detected from the beginning of its appearance. The characteristics of this skin disease in the initial stages are as follows:

Lesions with flat or prominent surfaces. This symptom most often appears on parts of the skin exposed to sunlight, such as hands, feet, face and ears.
Papules appear, which are small bumps on the skin.
Some skin is inflamed and protruding, resembling large spots. These patches are called plaques. Arms, armpits, neck, palms, soles, upper body and outer sex organs, including body parts that are often affected by plates.
Small lesions that look like wounds.

Some warts can grow and gather on certain parts of the skin. But the number of warts that appear can also be greater than a few hundred and spread throughout the body.

When should you contact a doctor?

Once you feel there is an abnormality in your skin, especially looking for symptoms of EV, contact directly and see a doctor. In addition to examining the characteristics of your skin disease, your doctor will also ask questions about your and your family's medical history.

If you suspect that the symptoms that are attacking you are an EV indication, your doctor will take a sample of your skin for further examination. This sampling procedure is called a biopsy. To confirm the diagnosis of verruciform epidermodysplasia, samples will be analyzed to determine whether HPV is present.

Treatment of verruciform epidermodysplasia
As a disease that cannot be treated, treatment of verruciform epidermodysplasia aims to control the characteristics of this rare skin disease in the patient's body. For example, through surgery to remove warts that have disrupted bodily functions.

Despite this, the chances of wart growth remain high. As a result, you may need the same operation once a year. The doctor can also prescribe drugs in the form of interferon, systemic retinoids and topical 5-fluorouracil drugs to facilitate therapeutic treatment.

EV sufferers should also avoid as much sun exposure as possible. Because the risk of skin cancer will increase if you have EV. So, make sure to obey the doctor's advice for this matter.