Warts are benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes that appear due to the activation of the human papillomavirus.
They do not look aesthetically pleasing and often become the cause of complexes.The person wants to get rid of them, but doesn't know how.
Do I need to remove the growth?
It depends on the size of the papilloma, its nature and the person's age.But most of the time the answer is clearly yes, because warts are contagious and can be passed on to other people.Self-infection is also possible – autoinoculation.
In the first place, the contagiousness of neoplasms is manifested not only through direct contact with them, but also through the use of common household items, personal hygiene items or simply by touching places where an infected person has touched.For example, a bus handrail.
Secondly, the location of the wart can be in a place subject to the greatest possible injuries - neck, feet, armpits, groin.These places are rubbed with clothes, squeezed and touched more often than others.So, this is fraught with malignancy, bleeding and growth.
Thirdly, the formations can increase in size and quantity, which 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 aggressive and incurable skin cancer.
Top misconceptions about the dangers of surgery
Early treatment and treatment of warts is the best option.This will save you a lot of time, effort and money.Although 70% of warts can disappear spontaneously after 2 years of existence, they can return just as easily and, moreover, in new locations.
The fears of many when looking for a surgeon are related to the fear of surgery, its complications, recurrences and possible pain during the procedure.They are completely unfounded, since modern methods provide very good pain relief and many do not even require anesthesia.
The opinion still prevails that touching a wart unnecessarily with the surgeon's scalpel will increase its growth.This is the deepest misconception - it is surgical intervention that will stop the spread of the virus and the growth of the wart.Fortunately, there are enough methods for this.
Those patients who are not afraid to use traditional home methods and refuse qualified help can be called strangers.The doctor's experience and qualifications are, of course, crucial, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.
And one more note: you don't need to trust cosmetologists and run to them with warts.It is precisely they who do not have sufficient medical training.
Modern methods
There are newer or older removal methods.Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.Furthermore, 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 method.Traditional treatment refers more to the method of physical (mechanical) influence.
When contacting us, the doctor can recommend the best option, in his opinion, but the final choice is the patient's own.
Prior consultation is also necessary because not all chosen methods 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, sensitive 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 quick, without scars or complications.
More laser advantages:
- the patient does not feel pain;
- no anesthesia is required;
- complete removal;
- fast - takes 1-2 minutes.Relapses are possible only in 20% of cases.
The burning leaves a hole that heals after 2 weeks.The skin may temporarily lighten, which also disappears on its own after 3 weeks.
Cauterization with liquid nitrogen
Cryodestruction is the freezing of a wart at low temperatures with liquid nitrogen.Duration – 30 seconds.Freezing causes growing 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 rupture on its own and a scab will form.The scab heals and falls off within 2 weeks.
A pink spot remains, little by little its color becomes the same as the skin.The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a spot with a pink tint will appear at the site of removal, which gradually disappears.
Pros:
- no pain, scars and no need for anesthesia;
- no infection or bleeding.
The only downside is that there is no way to control the depth of the 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 disadvantage is that the wound takes a long time to heal.
Electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation for warts uses high-frequency currents.He focuses on a loop that cuts the wart.The cauterization temperature is approximately 80 degrees.
There is no bleeding due to simultaneous clotting of blood vessels.Local anesthesia is required.The great advantage of the method is that it prevents the virus from spreading further.Furthermore, the method is quite cheap and effective.
Surrounding tissues must be covered and the skin pre-disinfected.There is also a crusting stage.Within a week it disappears.After this, a transparent, barely noticeable scar remains, but more often a clear 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 isolate it completely.
The essence of the action is that the wart cells contain a liquid that expands when exposed to radio waves, the wart swells and explodes.The work is done with a special tip that resembles a ballpoint pen.
There are no scars or infection.The only downside is that the procedure is painful;therefore, the growth is pre-lubricated with anesthetic.Healthy cells are not damaged.The cauterization lasts about 20 minutes.
Advice!During the crust phase, it must not be wet or peeled!It disappears on its own within a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical removal is a traditional and classic method, performed with a scalpel.Nowadays it is rarely used.The method is traumatic and produces recurrences and scars.
There is a risk of damage to neighboring tissues and the possibility of infection.But it is essential if the wart is large.Under local anesthesia, the wart is scraped with 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 disappears over time.
Chemical cauterization
The formation is attacked with acid or alkali.After a certain time, wash it off.Generally, at least 6 procedures are required to obtain the effect.A burning or tingling sensation is felt during this procedure.The wart dries up and falls off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk that the virus will spread 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 is better and which 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: 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, and relapses may occur.
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, on the back of the hands;
- flat– typical of teenagers, they appear in the form of raised spots;these also include plants (pines);
- filamentous (accrochords)– thin, elastic protuberances on the stem that appear on the face (eyelids, lips) and neck;
- genital warts - most often located 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, caused by functional skin disorders.They do not require treatment, just observation.If desired, cryotherapy can be used.
The doctor recommends a removal method, but in the end it is the patient who chooses.The choice of method depends on the type of wart: small formations can be safely removed“knife” of radio waves or liquid nitrogen.
Radio knifeApplicable to 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 of the feet), papillomas on the neck.The cryogenic method can be called universal.It's safe.
laser— removes any warts anywhere on the body, including under the nails.
Surgical methodused for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationrecommended for flat and vulgar warts.It can even be used on the face.For large formations the effect is insignificant.Additionally, the electric knife is not used for plantar warts as they are usually deep rooted and very dense.
Important!It is advisable to remove plantar growths only in a hospital setting.
The chemical method gives good results for plantar, flat and sharp injuries.Physical methods are ineffective in comparison.
What tumor removal method do doctors recommend?
Of course, the client chooses according to his capabilities.But to make the right decision, he must 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 medications 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 delayed, “dormant” and the remission prolonged.
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 surrounding tissues, infection and inflammation.Warts cannot be removed by any method in children under 5 years of age.