Warts are benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes that arise due to the activation of the human papillomavirus.
They do not look aesthetically pleasing and are often the cause of complications.Someone wants to get rid of it, but does not know how.
Do I need to remove the growth?
It depends on the size of the papilloma, its nature and the age of the person.But often the answer is a clear yes, because warts are contagious and can be spread to others.Self-infection is also possible - autoinoculation.
First of all, the transmission of neoplasms manifests itself not only through direct contact with them, but also when using common household items, personal hygiene items, or simply touching places where an infected person has touched.For example, bus handrails.
Second, localization of warts may be in places subject to the greatest injury - neck, legs, armpits, groin.These places are more often than others rubbed with clothes, squeezed and touched.Then this is full of violence, bleeding, and growth.
Third, formations can increase in size and quantity, this causes aesthetic problems.This phenomenon can be called territorial conquest by warts.
Important!Not always, but warts are likely to degenerate into melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer that cannot be cured.
Major misconceptions about the dangers of surgery
Early treatment and treatment of warts is the best option.It will save you a lot of time, effort and money.Although 70% of warts can disappear spontaneously after 2 years of their existence, they can return easily and, moreover, in new places.
The fear of many when contacting a surgeon is related to the fear of surgery, its complications, recurrence and the possibility of pain during the procedure.They are completely unfounded, because modern methods provide excellent pain relief, and many do not require anesthesia at all.
There is still a prevailing opinion that unnecessary touching of warts with a surgeon's knife will increase their growth.This is the most profound misconception - it is a surgical intervention that will prevent the spread of the virus and prevent warts from developing.Fortunately, there are enough methods for this.
Patients who are not afraid to use traditional methods at home and refuse qualified help can be called strange.The doctor's experience and qualifications are, of course, important, but good surgeons are not common.
And one more note - you don't need to rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts.Precisely those who do not have sufficient medical education.
Modern methods
There are newer or older removal methods.Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.In addition, the effect depends on the size of the wart, its position and the depth of growth.
All methods can be combined into 3 groups: hardware, surgical and chemical methods.Traditional treatment refers more to the method of physical (mechanical) influence.
When you contact us, the doctor can recommend the best option, in his opinion, but the final choice is made by the patient himself.
Preliminary consultation is also necessary because not all the methods you choose may be suitable, as there are contraindications and restrictions.
Laser treatment
The laser method can be called universal.Among all methods, it is the leader today.Using a laser, you can remove warts in the most inaccessible, tender and painful places.It is also beneficial because it does not cause scarring.Beams are the safest and least traumatic.
The effectiveness is so high that one procedure is enough.The essence of the effect of heat on warts is burning with temperature.Fast healing, without scarring or complications.
More laser advantages:
- the patient does not feel pain;
- no anesthesia is required;
- complete removal;
- fast - takes 1-2 minutes.Relapse is only possible in 20% of cases.
Burning leaves a hole that heals after 2 weeks.The skin may lighten temporarily, which also disappears on its own after 3 weeks.
Cauterization with liquid nitrogen
Cryodestruction is the freezing of warts using low temperature using liquid nitrogen.Duration – 30 seconds.Freezing causes the growth tissue to die.When exposed to freezing, the papilloma thickens and turns white.After a minute it becomes red and swollen.
Bubbles with gray liquid will appear at home.Within a week it will break through on its own and a crust will form.The crust heals and falls off within 2 weeks.
Pink spots remain, gradually becoming the same color as the skin.The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a spot with a pink color will appear at the removal site, which will gradually disappear.
Advantages:
- no pain, no scarring and no anesthesia required;
- no infection or bleeding.
The only drawback is that there is no way to control the depth of impact.
On the soles of the feet, the effect lasts about 1 minute.This procedure can be repeated on the soles of the feet up to 5 times.The downside is that wounds take a long time to heal.
Electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation for warts using high frequency current.It is concentrated in a loop that cuts the wart.The cauterization temperature is approximately 80 degrees.
No bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of blood vessels.Local anesthesia is required.The big advantage of this method is that it prevents the virus from spreading further.In addition, this method is relatively cheap and effective.
The surrounding tissues must be covered and the skin must be disinfected first.There is also a crust stage.Within a week it was gone.After this, an almost imperceptible, transparent scar remains, but more often becomes a bright spot.No relapses!
Application of radio wave therapy
This method is considered no less effective than electric current.Cauterization is performed using a special device;The doctor will help you choose the right one.This is a radio wave generator;its high-frequency electric waves do not touch the wart, but cut it completely.
The essence of the action is that the wart cells contain fluid, which expands when exposed to radio waves, the wart swells and bursts.The work is done with a special tip that resembles a ballpoint pen.
No scarring or infection.The only downside is that the procedure is painful;because of this, the growth is pre-lubricated with anesthetic.Healthy cells are not damaged.Cauterization lasts about 20 minutes.
Advice!At the crust stage, it should not be wetted or peeled!It goes away on its own within a week.
Surgical removal
Surgical removal is a traditional, classic method, carried out using a scalpel.Nowadays it is rarely used.The method is traumatic and produces relapses and scars.
There is a risk of damage to neighboring tissues and possible infection.But it is very necessary if the wart is large.Under local anesthesia, the wart is scraped off using a special spoon after the incision.The stitches are cosmetic and are removed after a week.The scar remains approximately 3 mm in size and fades over time.
Chemical cauterization
Formation is targeted with acid or alkali.After a certain time, wash.Usually there are at least 6 procedures to achieve the effect.A burning or tingling sensation is felt during this procedure.Warts become dry and fall off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk of the virus spreading further and infection cannot be ruled out;
- healthy tissue is often damaged;
- Scarring is possible, healing takes about 10 days.
This method is only used when other methods are not possible.
Pros and cons of different methods, which one is better and which one is better
Any removal method has its pros and cons;no choice is ideal.Today the most popular methods are: laser therapy, cryotherapy, electrocoagulation, radio waves, surgical scalpel - when the frequency of use decreases.The cost of the first 3 methods is actually in the same price range.
Laser leads the way: there is no inaccessible place for it, it is safe, fast and painless.Cryodestruction is considered the second most effective, but with it there is no possibility to control the depth of exposure, because of the possibility of relapse.
And one more conclusion - the laser can remove only 1 small formation in 1 session.
Cryotherapy can be used for papillomatosis, when up to 40 tumors can be removed in 1 procedure.But here the doctor's experience is very important for quality.
How does the location and type of growth affect the choice of technique?
There are 4 types of warts:
- abusive– in the form of small nodules, often growing on the fingers and toes, the back of the hand;
- flat– typical for teenagers, they appear in the form of prominent spots;this also includes plantar (pine);
- filamentous (acrochord)– thin elastic growths on the trunk that appear on the face (eyelids, lips) and neck;
- genital warts - most often localized on the genital mucosa;They look like cauliflower.
These 4 types are of viral origin and belong to true warts.
But there is also senile keratoma, which is caused by functional disorders of the skin.They do not require treatment, only observation.If desired, cryotherapy can be used.
The doctor recommends a method of removal, but ultimately the patient chooses.How the choice of method depends on the type of wart: small formations can be safely removedradio wave "knife" or liquid nitrogen.
Radio knifeUsed on face and neck, feet and palms, groin.It is not used for papillomas on the eyelids.They can use a laser or liquid nitrogen.
freezeIt is also used on the hands and feet (on the soles of the feet), papillomas on the neck.The cryo method can be called universal.It is safe.
Lasers— remove any warts on any part of the body, including under the nails.
Surgical methodused for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationrecommended for flat and rough warts.It can even be used on the face.For large formations the effect is not significant.Also, electric knives are not used for plantar warts, because they usually have deep and very dense roots.
Important!It is advisable to remove plantar tumors only in the hospital.
Chemical methods give good results for plantar, flat and pointed lesions.Physical methods are ineffective in comparison.
What method of removing the tumor is recommended by the doctor?
Of course, the customer chooses according to his ability.But for the right decision, he must be guided by the doctor's opinion.Experts prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the main place is removal.
In addition, treatment will include oral administration of drugs with antiviral activity.Although the HPV virus (human papillomavirus) is not 100% curable and its activation depends on the state of the immune system, it can be slowed down, "put to sleep," and remission extended.
In addition to antiviral drugs, immunomodulators are used for this purpose.This is, first of all, a group of interferons.
Doctors are not very interested in traditional methods, because the treatment is not carried out by doctors and would be unsafe.It is fraught with damage to the surrounding tissue, infection, and inflammation.Warts cannot be removed by any method for children under 5 years of age.