Warts are benign tumors of the skin and mucous membranes that arise due to the activity of human papillomavirus.
They do not look aesthetically pleasing and often become a cause of complications.A person wants to get rid of them, but does not know how.
Do I need to remove the growth?
It depends on the size of the papillomas, their properties and the age of the person.But most of the time the answer is a resounding yes, because warts are contagious and can be passed on to others.Self-infection is also possible - autoinfection.
Firstly, the ability of tumors to spread is shown not only through direct contact with them, but also when using common household objects, personal hygiene items or simply touching places that an infected person has touched.For example, bus handrails.
Monday, the location of warts can be in the most vulnerable places - neck, feet, armpits, groin.These places are more often rubbed, squeezed and touched by clothes than other places.This is then fraught with malignancies, bleeding and growth.
Tuesday, the formations may increase in size and number, which causes aesthetic problems.This phenomenon can be called the territorial conquest of warts.
Important!Not always, but warts can degenerate into melanoma, an incurable type of malignant skin cancer.
Main misconceptions about the dangers of surgery
Early treatment and treatment of warts is the best option.It will save a lot of time, effort and money.Although 70% of warts can disappear on their own after 2 years of existence, they can also easily return and moreover in new locations.
The fear many people have when contacting a surgeon is related to the fear of surgery, complications, recurrence and possible pain during the procedure.They are completely unfounded, because modern methods provide very good pain relief and many do not require anesthesia.
There is still a popular opinion that touching a wart unnecessarily with a surgeon's knife will increase its growth.This is the deepest misconception - it is surgical intervention that will stop 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 professional help may be considered strange.Of course, the experience and qualifications of the doctor are very important, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.
And one more note - you do not need to rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts.They don't exactly have enough medical training.
Modern method
There are newer or older removal methods.Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.In addition, the effectiveness depends on the size of the wart, its location and the depth of growth.
All methods can be combined into 3 groups: hardware, surgical and chemical methods.Traditional treatment refers more to physical (mechanical) methods.
In his opinion, when you contact us, the doctor can suggest the best option, but the final choice is made by the patient himself.
A preliminary consultation is also necessary because not all the methods you choose may be suitable as there are contraindications and limitations.
Laser treatment
The laser method can be called universal.Among all the methods, it is the leading method today.Using a laser, you can remove warts in the most difficult to reach, painful and painful places.It is also beneficial because it does not cause scarring.Beam is the safest and least traumatic.
The effectiveness is so high that just one treatment is enough.The nature of the heat effect on warts is to burn according to temperature.The wound healing process is quick, leaving no scars or complications.
More advantages of laser:
- The patient does not feel pain;
- no anesthesia required;
- completely removed;
- fast - takes 1-2 minutes.Relapse can occur only in 20% of cases.
Burning leaves a hole that heals in 2 weeks.The skin may lighten temporarily and disappear on its own after 3 weeks.
Burn with liquid nitrogen
Cryodestruction is the freezing of warts using low temperatures using liquid nitrogen.Duration – 30 seconds.Freezing causes the growing tissue to die.When exposed to cold temperatures, papillomas thicken and turn white.After a minute it turns red and swells.
A bubble containing gray liquid will appear at home.Within a week, it will break down on its own and form a crust.The crust heals and falls off after 2 weeks.
A pink spot remains, gradually its color becomes even with the skin.The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a spot with a pinkish tint will appear at the site of removal, which gradually disappears.
Advantage:
- Painless, no scarring and no anesthesia required;
- No infection or bleeding.
The only downside is that there is no way to control the depth of impact.
On the soles of the feet, the effect lasts about 1 minute.The procedure can be repeated on the base up to 5 times.The disadvantage is that the wound heals slowly.
Burn electricity
Electrocautery treats warts using high-frequency electric current.It focuses on one round of wart excision.The firing temperature is about 80 degrees.
There is no bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of blood vessels.Local anesthesia is required.The big advantage of this method is to prevent the virus from spreading further.In addition, this method is quite cheap and effective.
Surrounding tissues must be covered and the skin must be disinfected first.There is also the shell phase.Within a week it disappeared.After that, there remains a transparent scar, almost imperceptible, but usually a light spot.No recurrence!
Application of radio wave therapy
This method is considered no less effective than electric current.The combustion process is carried out using special equipment;Your doctor will help you choose the right one.This is a radio transmitter;Its high-frequency electric waves do not touch the wart but cut it off completely.
The essence of the action is that the wart cells contain liquid, this liquid expands when exposed to radio waves, the wart swells and bursts.Work is done with a special tip that resembles a ballpoint pen.
There is no scarring or infection.The only downside is that the procedure is painful;Therefore, the growth is pre-lubricated with anesthetics.Healthy cells are not damaged.The burning process lasts about 20 minutes.
Advice!At the crust stage, do not wet or peel the crust!It goes away on its own within a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical excision is a traditional, classic method, performed with a scalpel.Nowadays it is rarely used.This method causes trauma and causes recurrence and scarring.
There is a risk of damage to adjacent tissues and possible infection.But it is indispensable if the wart is large.Under local anesthesia, the wart will be scraped off with a special spatula after the incision.The stitches are cosmetic and will be removed after a week.The scar is about 3 mm in size and fades over time.
Burn with chemicals
Formation is targeted with acid or alkali.After a certain time, wash it off.There are usually at least 6 procedures to achieve results.A burning or tingling sensation is felt during this process.The wart dries and falls off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk of the virus spreading further and the possibility of infection cannot be ruled out;
- Healthy tissue is often damaged;
- Scarring may result, the wound will heal in about 10 days.
This method is only used when other methods are not possible.
Advantages and disadvantages of different methods, which one is better, which one is better
Any method of removal has pros and cons;There is no ideal choice.Today, the most popular methods are: laser therapy, cryotherapy, electrocautery, radio waves, scalpel - as the frequency of use gradually decreases.The costs of the first 3 methods are actually in the same price range.
Leading laser: there is no inaccessible place, it is safe, fast and painless.Cold destruction is considered the second most effective, but with it there is no possibility to control the depth of exposure, therefore relapse is possible.
And one more conclusion - the laser can only remove 1 small formation in 1 treatment session.
Cryotherapy is applied to papilloma, when up to 40 tumors can be removed in 1 treatment.But here the experience of the doctor is of great importance for quality.
How do location and type of growth influence the choice of technique?
There are 4 types of warts:
- gross– in the form of small nodules, often growing on fingers, toes, and back of hands;
- flat– typical for adolescents, they appear as protruding spots;they also include plantar (pinuses);
- acrochords– thin elastic tumors on stalks appear on the face (eyelid, lips) and neck;
- Genital warts - most often localized on the genital mucosa;They look like cauliflower.
These 4 types are all of viral origin and belong to real warts.
But there are also senile corneal tumors caused by skin dysfunction.They do not need treatment, just observation.If desired, cryotherapy can be used.
The doctor suggested a method of removal, but ultimately the patient chooses.The choice of method depends on the type of wart: small warts can be safely removedradio wave "knife" or liquid nitrogen.
Radio knifeApply on face and neck, feet and palms, groin.It is not used for papillomas on the eyelids.They can use lasers or liquid nitrogen.
FreezeIt is also used on the hands and feet (on the soles of the feet), papillomas of the neck.The cryo method can be called universal.It's safe.
Laser beam— remove any warts on any part of the body, including under the fingernails.
Surgical methodused for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Burn electricityRecommended for flat and vulgar warts.Can even be used on the face.For large formations, the effect is negligible.Additionally, electric knives should not be used to treat plantar warts because they often have deep roots and are very dense.
Important!Plant growth should only be removed in hospitals.
Chemical methods give good results for lesions on the soles of the feet, flat and pointed.Physical methods are ineffective in comparison.
What method does the doctor recommend to remove the tumor?
Of course, customers choose according to their abilities.But to make the right decision, he must be guided by the opinion of his doctor.Experts prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, in which removal takes a leading position.
Additionally, treatment will include taking oral medications with antiviral activity.Although HPV (human papilloma virus) cannot be cured 100% and its activation largely depends on the state of the immune system, it can be slowed down, “sleep” and prolong the period of remission.
In addition to antiviral drugs, immunomodulators are used for this purpose.First of all, this is a group of interferons.
Doctors are not particularly enthusiastic about traditional methods, since the treatment is not performed by a doctor and would not be safe.It causes damage to surrounding tissues, infection, and inflammation.Warts cannot be removed by any method in children under 5 years old.