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 often cause complications.A person wants to get rid of them, but does not know how.
Should I remove the growth?
It depends on the size of the papilloma, their nature and the age of the person.But most often the answer is clearly yes, because warts are contagious and can be passed on to others.Self-infection is also possible - autoinoculation.
First, the contagiousness of neoplasms appears not only through direct contact with them, but also when using common household items, personal hygiene items or simply touching those places where an infected person has touched.For example, a bus railing.
Secondly, the location of the wart can be in a place that is subject to the greatest possible damage - the neck, legs, armpits, hips.These places more often than others are rubbed by clothes, squeezed and touched.Then this is filled with malignancy, bleeding and growth.
Thirdly, formations can increase in size and quantity, this causes aesthetic problems.This phenomenon can be called the invasion of territory by a wart.
Important!Not always, but it is possible for a wart to degenerate into melanoma, an aggressive incurable skin cancer.
The main misconceptions about the risks 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 spontaneously after 2 years of their existence, they can return just as easily and, moreover, in new places.
The fear of many people when contacting a surgeon is related to the fear of surgery, its complications, relapses and possible pain during the procedure.They are completely unfounded, as modern methods provide very good pain relief and many of them do not require anesthesia at all.
An opinion still prevails that unnecessary touching of the wart with the surgeon's knife will increase its growth.This is the deepest misconception - it is the surgical intervention that will prevent the spread of the virus and prevent the growth of the wart.Fortunately, there are quite a few methods for this.
Those patients who are not afraid to use traditional methods cultivated at home and refuse qualified help can be called strange.The experience and qualifications of the doctor are, of course, crucial, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.
And another note - you should not rely on cosmetologists and run to those with warts.It is precisely those who do not have sufficient medical education.
Modern methods
There are newer or older removal methods.Each of them has its 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.
Prior consultation is also necessary because not all methods you choose may be suitable, as there are contraindications and limitations.
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 wounds.The beam is safer and less traumatic.
The effectiveness is so high that one procedure is enough.The essence of the thermal effect on a wart is burning with temperature.Healing is fast, without signs or complications.
Other advantages of the laser:
- the patient does not feel pain;
- no anesthesia is required;
- complete removal;
- quickly - takes 1-2 minutes.Relapses are possible only in 20% of cases.
The burn leaves a hole that heals after 2 weeks.The skin may become whitened temporarily, which also goes away on its own after 3 weeks.
Liquid nitrogen cauterization
Cryodestruction is the freezing of a wart using low temperatures using liquid nitrogen.Duration - 30 seconds.Freezing causes death of growth tissue.When exposed to freezing, the papilloma thickens and turns white.After a minute it turns red and swells.
A bubble with a gray liquid will appear at home.Within a week it will burst on its own and a crust will form.The crust heals and falls off in 2 weeks.
A pink spot remains, gradually its color becomes equal to the skin.The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a spot with a pink tint will appear at the place of removal, which will gradually disappear.
The pros:
- no pain, scarring and 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 sole up to 5 times.The downside is that the wound takes a long time to heal.
Electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation for warts uses high frequency currents.It focuses on a loop that cuts the wart.The cauterization temperature is approximately 80 degrees.
There is no bleeding due to the simultaneous coagulation of the blood vessels.Local anesthesia is required.The great advantage of the method is that it prevents further spread of the virus.Moreover, the method is quite cheap and effective.
The surrounding tissues should be covered and the skin should be disinfected beforehand.There is also a crust phase.Within a week it disappears.After that, an almost invisible scar remains, transparent, but more often a light point.There is no going back!
Application of radio wave therapy
The method is considered no less effective than electric current.Cauterization is done using special equipment;a doctor will help you choose the right one.This is a radio wave generator;its high-frequency electrical waves do not touch the wart, but interrupt 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 pen.
There is no scarring or infection.The only downside is that the procedure is painful;because of this, the growth is pre-lubricated with an anesthetic.Healthy cells are not damaged.Cauterization lasts about 20 minutes.
Tips!In the crust stage, it should not be wet or peeled!It disappears on its own within a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical removal is a traditional, classic method, which is performed 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 the possibility of infection.But it is necessary if the wart is large.Under local anesthesia, the wart is scraped off using a special spoon after the cut.The stitches are cosmetic and are removed after one week.The mark remains about 3 mm in size and fades over time.
Chemical cauterization
Formation is intended with acid or alkali.After a certain time, wash it off.There are usually at least 6 procedures to achieve the effect.A burning or tingling sensation is felt during this procedure.The warts dry up and fall off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk of further spread of the virus and infection cannot be excluded;
- healthy tissues are often damaged;
- Wounds are possible, healing takes about 10 days.
This method is used only when other methods are not possible.
Advantages and disadvantages of different methods, which is better and which is better
Each removal method has its pros and cons;there are no ideal options.Today the most popular methods are: laser therapy, cryotherapy, electrocoagulation, radio waves, surgical scalpel - with decreasing frequency of use.The cost of the first 3 methods is actually in the same price range.
The laser leads the way: there are no inaccessible places 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, due to which relapses are possible.
And another conclusion - the laser can remove only 1 small formation in 1 session.
Cryotherapy is applicable for papillomatosis, when up to 40 growths can be removed in 1 procedure.But here the doctor's experience is of great importance for quality.
How does the location and type of growth affect the choice of technique?
There are 4 types of warts:
- vulgar– in the form of small nodules, which often grow on the fingers and toes, on the back of the hands;
- APARTMENT- typical for teenagers, they appear in the form of protruding spots;these also include the soles (pinuses);
- filamentous (acrochord)– thin elastic growths on the stem 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 are also senile keratomas, which are caused by functional disorders in the skin.They do not require treatment, only observation.If desired, cryotherapy can be used.
The doctor recommends a removal method, but in the end the patient chooses.How to choose a method depends on the type of wart: small formations can be safely removed"knife" of radio waves, or liquid nitrogen.
Radio knifeIt is applied to the face and neck, legs 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), papilloma on the neck.The cryo-method can be called universal.It is safe.
Laser— removes any warts on any part of the body, including under the nails.
Surgical methodused for large growths in the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationrecommended for flat and vulgar warts.It can also be used on the face.For large formations the effect is insignificant.Also, the electric knife is not used for plantar warts because they usually have deep roots and are very dense.
Important!It is advisable to remove plantar growths only in the hospital.
The chemical method gives good results for plantar, flat and pointed lesions.Physical methods are ineffective in comparison.
What methods for removing tumors do doctors recommend?
Of course, the customer chooses according to his options.But for the right decision, he should be guided by the doctor's opinion.Experts prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the main place belongs to 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 mainly on the state of the immune system, it can be slowed down, "put to sleep" and the 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 particularly enthusiastic about traditional methods, as the treatment is not carried out by doctors and will be unsafe.It is fraught with damage to the surrounding tissues, infection and inflammation.Warts cannot be removed by any method for children under 5 years of age.