A doctor in Nantou County advised people not to share personal hygiene products, after a growth of warts inside a 70-year-old man’s ears was likely caused by a reusable ear pick used at a hair salon.
The man, surnamed Huang (黃), experienced itchiness inside his right ear and occasional pus and bloody discharge, Nantou Hospital otolaryngologist Wu Chao-kuan (吳昭寬) said.
Huang visited the hospital after losing hearing in the ear, Wu said, adding that an endoscopic exam confirmed the growth of warts.
Photo: Hsieh Chieh-yu, Taipei Times
The warts were surgically removed and Huang’s hearing gradually recovered, he added.
Warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and are mainly transmitted via physical contact, often affecting the mouth and genitals, he said.
Since Huang sometimes has his face shaved and ears cleaned at salons, the doctor said that his ear canal might have been infected by an ear-cleaning tool.
Warts are benign growths and as patients exhibit few early symptoms, they are often ignored, hospital superintendent Hung Hung-chang (洪弘昌) said.
By the time symptoms emerge, they have typically already had a clear effect on quality of life, he said, adding that the warts could develop into cancer if treatment is delayed.
In addition to avoiding the communal use of personal hygiene products, people should wash their hands frequently after touching public surfaces to prevent accidental infection, Hung said.
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