Warts are benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes that arise due to activation of the human papillomavirus.
They do not look aesthetically pleasing and often become the cause of complexes.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 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.
Firstly, the contagiousness of neoplasms manifests itself 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 handrail.
Secondly, the localization of the wart may be in a place that is subject to the greatest possible injury - the neck, feet, armpits, groin.These places are more often than others rubbed by clothing, squeezed and touched.Then this is fraught with malignancy, bleeding, and growth.
Thirdly, formations can increase in size and quantity, this causes aesthetic problems.This phenomenon can be called the conquest of territory by a wart.
Important!Not always, but it is possible for a wart to degenerate into melanoma, an incurable aggressive skin cancer.
Main misconceptions regarding 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 spontaneously disappear after 2 years of their existence, they can just as easily return and, moreover, in new places.
The fears of many when contacting a surgeon are related to the fear of surgery, its complications, relapses and possible pain during the procedure.They are completely groundless, since modern methods provide very good pain relief, and many do not require anesthesia at all.
There is still a prevailing opinion that unnecessary touching of a wart with a surgeon’s knife will increase its growth.This is the deepest misconception - it is surgical intervention that will prevent the spread of the virus and prevent the wart from growing.Fortunately, there are enough methods for this.
Those patients who are not afraid to use traditional home-grown methods 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 one more note - you don’t have to rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts.It is precisely they 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 the growth.
All methods can be combined into 3 groups: hardware method, surgical and chemical.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 methods you choose may be suitable, since there are contraindications and restrictions.
Laser treatment
The laser method can be called universal.Among all the 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 scars.The beam is the safest and least 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 scars or complications.
More advantages of the laser:
- the patient does not feel pain;
- no anesthesia required;
- complete removal;
- fast - takes 1-2 minutes.Relapses are possible only in 20% of cases.
Burning leaves behind a hole that heals after 2 weeks.The skin may temporarily lighten, which also goes away on its own after 3 weeks.
Cauterization with liquid nitrogen
Cryodestruction is the freezing of a wart using low temperatures 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 turns red and swells.
A bubble with a 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 in 2 weeks.
A pinkish spot remains, gradually its color becomes equal to 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.
Pros:
- no pain, 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 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 concentrates in a loop that cuts off the wart.Cauterization temperature is approximately 80 degrees.
There is no bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of blood vessels.Local anesthesia is required.The big advantage of the method is that it prevents the virus from spreading further.In addition, the method is quite inexpensive and effective.
The surrounding tissues must be covered and the skin must be pre-disinfected.There is also a crust stage.Within a week it disappears.After this, an almost imperceptible, transparent scar remains, but more often a light spot.There are no relapses!
Application of radio wave therapy
The method is considered no less effective than electric current.Cauterization is done using special devices; 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 cut it off completely.
The essence of the action is that the wart cells contain liquid, which expands when exposed to radio waves, the wart swells and bursts.The work is done with a special tip resembling a ballpoint 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.
Advice!At the crust stage, it should not be wetted or peeled off!It disappears on its own within a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical removal is a traditional, classic method, which is 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 the possibility of infection.But it is indispensable if the wart is large.Under local anesthesia, the wart is scraped out using a special spoon after the incision.The stitches are cosmetic and are removed after a week.The scar remains about 3 mm in size and fades over time.
Chemical cauterization
The formation is targeted 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 wart dries out and falls off.
Flaws:
- there is a risk of the virus spreading further and infection cannot be ruled out;
- healthy tissue is often damaged;
- Scars 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 one is better and what is better
Any 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 - as the frequency of use decreases.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 of controlling the depth of exposure, due to which relapses are possible.
And one more 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, often growing on the fingers and toes, the backs of the hands;
- flat– typical for teenagers, they appear in the form of protruding spots;these also include plantar (pinuses);
- filamentous (acrochords)– elastic thin 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 real 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 method of removal, but in the end 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 knifeApplicable on the face and neck, feet and palms, groin.It is not used for papillomas on the eyelids.They can use laser or liquid nitrogen.
FreezingIt is also used on the hands and feet (on the soles), papillomas on the neck.The cryo-method can be called universal.It's safe.
Laser— removes any warts on any part of the body, including under the nail.
Surgical methodused for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationrecommended for flat and vulgar warts.Can even 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 a hospital.
The chemical method gives good results for plantar lesions, flat and pointed.Physical methods are ineffective in comparison.
What method of removing tumors do doctors recommend?
Of course, the client chooses according to his capabilities.But for the right decision, he must be guided by the opinion of the doctor.Experts prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the leading 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 largely 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 particularly enthusiastic about traditional methods, since the treatment is not carried out by doctors and will be unsafe.It is fraught with damage to surrounding tissues, infection, and inflammation.Warts cannot be removed by any method for children under 5 years of age.