Warts are benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes, which occur as a result of the activation of the human papillomavirus.
They don't look aesthetically pleasing and often cause complexes. A person wants to get rid of it, but does not know how.
Should we remove the buildup?
It depends on the size of the papillomas, their nature and the age of the person. But more often than not, the answer is unequivocally positive, because warts are contagious and can be passed on to others. Perhaps self-infection is also self-inoculation.
In the first place, the infectivity of neoplasms manifests itself not only through direct contact with them, but also when using common household items, personal hygiene items or simply by touching places inwhich an infected person has touched. For example, the handrail of a bus.
Secondly, the location of the wart may be in a place that is more likely to be injured: the neck, feet, armpits, groin. These places are more often than others that rub with clothes, squeeze and touch. So it is fraught with malignancy, bleeding, overgrowth.
Third, the formations can increase in size and number, this causes aesthetic problems. This phenomenon can be called the conquest of the territory by a wart.
Important! Not always, but perhaps the degeneration of a wart into melanoma, an incurable aggressive skin cancer.
Major misconceptions about the danger of surgery
Early treatment and warts treatment 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 with the same success and, moreover, in new places.
The fears of many when contacting a surgeon are related to the fear of the operation, its complications, relapses and possible pain during the procedure. They are completely unfounded, as modern methods provide excellent pain relief and many do not require anesthesia at all.
There is still a widespread opinion that an extra touch of a wart with a surgeon's knife will increase its growth. This is the deeper misconception: it is a surgery that will prevent the spread of the virus and prevent the wart from growing. Fortunately, there are enough methods for this.
Strange can be defined as those patients who are not afraid to use traditional methods grown at home and refuse qualified help. The experience and qualifications of a doctor are, of course, crucial, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.
And one more help: don't rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts. They just don't 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 location and the depth of growth.
All methods can be grouped into 3 groups: hardware, surgical and chemical. Alternative treatment is more related to the physical (mechanical) impact method.
When you contact your doctor, he thinks he can recommend the best option, but the last choice is up to the patient himself.
A preliminary consultation is also necessary because not all the methods you have chosen may be suitable, as there are contraindications and limitations.
Laser treatment
The laser method can be called universal. Of all the methods, today he is in the lead. With the help of a laser, you can remove warts in the most difficult, delicate and painful places. It is also beneficial as it does not scar. The beam is the safest and least traumatic.
The efficiency is so high that one procedure is enough. The essence of the thermal effect on the wart is burning with temperature. Healing is fast, without scars and complications.
Other laser advantages:
- the patient does not feel pain;
- does not require anesthesia;
- complete removal;
- fast: takes 1-2 minutes. Relapses are only possible in 20% of cases.
The burn leaves a pit that heals in 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 a wart with the low temperature method using liquid nitrogen. Duration: 30 seconds. Freezing leads to the death of the growth tissue. When exposed to frostbite, the papilloma thickens and turns white. After a minute, it turns red and swells.
A bubble of gray liquid will appear at home. In a week, it will crack on its own and a scab will form. The scab heals and falls off in 2 weeks.
A pinkish speck remains, gradually its color will become the same as the skin. The formation disappears within 2 weeks, and a pinkish spot appears on the site of removal, which gradually disappears.
Pro:
- no pain, no scar and no anesthesia required;
- 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 impact lasts about 1 minute. The procedure can be repeated on the sole up to 5 times. Minus - long wound healing.
Electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation for warts uses high frequency currents. It focuses in a cycle that cuts the wart. The temperature of moxibustion is around 80 degrees.
No bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of blood vessels. Local anesthesia is required. A 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 tissue must be covered and the skin must be disinfected. There is also a crusting phase. It disappears within a week. After that, an almost imperceptible transparent scar remains, but more often a bright spot. There are no relapses!
Application of radio wave therapy
The method is considered no less effective than electric current. Moxibustion is performed using special devices, a 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 liquid, which expands with radio waves, the wart swells and bursts. The work is done with a special tip that resembles a ballpoint pen.
There are no scars or infections. The only drawback is the painfulness of the procedure, for this reason the growth is preliminarily lubricated with an anesthetic. Healthy cells are not damaged. Moxibustion lasts about 20 minutes.
Advice! In the crust stage, it cannot be wet and peeled off! She herself disappears in a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical removal is a traditional classic method, which is performed with a scalpel. It is not used often now. The method is traumatic and gives relapses, scars.
There is a risk of damage to adjacent tissues, possibility of infection. But it is irreplaceable if the wart is large. Under local anesthesia with a special spoon, after the incision, the wart is scraped off. The seams are cosmetic, they are removed after a week. The scar remains approximately 3mm in size and fades over time.
Chemical moxibustion
It acts on the formation with an acid or an alkali. After some time, wash off. There are usually at least 6 procedures to achieve the effect. There is a burning or tingling sensation during it. The wart dries up and falls off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk of the virus spreading further and infection is not excluded;
- healthy tissue is often damaged;
- scarring is possible, healing takes about 10 days.
The method is used only if other methods are impossible.
Advantages and disadvantages of the different methods, which one is the best
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 - in descending order of frequency of use. The cost of the first 3 methods is actually in the same price range.
The laser is the first to drive: there are no inaccessible places for it, it is safe, fast and painless. Cryodestruction is considered the second most effective, but with it it is not possible to control the depth of exposure, due to which relapses are possible.
And another conclusion: the laser can only remove 1 small formation in 1 session.
Cryotherapy is applicable for papillomatosis, when it is possible to remove up to 40 growths 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 back of the hands;
- flat- typical of adolescents, they are in the form of protruding spots; these include plantar (spines);
- filiform (acrochords)- thin elastic growths on the leg, appear on the face (eyelids, lips) and neck;
- genital warts - often localized on the mucous membrane of the genitals; they resemble cauliflower in appearance.
These 4 types are of viral origin and belong to real warts.
But there are also senile keratomas, which are caused by functional disorders of the skin. They require no treatment, just observation. If desired, cryotherapy can be used.
The doctor recommends the removal method, but ultimately the patient chooses. How the choice of method depends on the type of wart: Small formations can be safely removed with a radio wave"knife", or liquid nitrogen.
Radio Knifeis applicable on face and neck, feet and palms, groin. With papillomas on the eyelids, it is not used. They can use a laser or liquid nitrogen.
Freezingis also used on the arms and feet (on the sole), papillomas on the neck. The cryo method can be called universal. It's safe.
Laser- removes warts on any part of the body, even under the nail.
The surgical methodis used for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationis recommended for flat and vulgar warts. It can also be applied to the face. With large formations, the effect is negligible. Also, the electric knife is not used for plantar warts, because they usually have deep roots and are very dense.
Important! It is recommended to remove plantar growths only in a hospital.
The chemical method gives good results in plantar, flat and pointed lesions. Physical methods are ineffective with respect to it.
What method do doctors recommend for removing formations?
The customer chooses, of course, based on his abilities. But it must be guided by the doctor's opinion for the correct decision. Specialists prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the main place belongs to the removal.
In addition, treatment will include oral administration of drugs with antiviral activity. Although the HPV virus (human papillomavirus) is not 100% cured and in many respects its activation depends on the state of immunity, it can be slowed down, "asleep" and remission can be prolonged.
In addition to antiviral drugs, immunomodulators are used for this purpose. This is, first of all, a group of interferons.
Doctors treat folk methods without much enthusiasm, as the treatment is not carried out by doctors and will not be safe. It is fraught with damage to surrounding tissues, infections, inflammation. Children under 5 should not remove warts in any way.