Warts are benign growths on the skin and mucous membranes that occur due to the activation of the human papilloma virus.
They do not look aesthetically pleasing and often cause complexes. One wants to get rid of them, but does not know how.
Should we remove the buildup?
Depends on the size of the papillomas, their nature and the age of the person. But more often the answer is definitely yes, because warts are contagious and can be transmitted to others. Perhaps self-infection is also autoinoculation.
First, the infectivity of neoplasms is manifested not only by direct contact with them, but also by using common household items, personal hygiene items or simply touching places where an infected person istouched. For example, a bus railing.
Second, the location of the wart may be in a place that is most likely to be injured - neck, legs, armpits, groin. These places are more often than others rubbed with clothes, squeezed and touched. Then it is fraught with malignant diseases, bleeding, overgrowth.
Third, formations can increase in size and number, this creates aesthetic problems. This phenomenon can be called the conquest of territory by a wart.
Important! Not always, but maybe the degeneration of a wart into melanoma, an incurable aggressive skin cancer.
Basic misconceptions about the dangers of surgery
Early treatment and treatment of warts 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 existence, they can return with the same success and also to new places.
The fears of many in contact with the surgeon are related to the fear of the operation, its complications, recurrences and possible pain during the procedure. They are completely groundless, as modern methods provide very good pain relief and many do not need anesthesia at all.
It is still widely believed that the extra touch of a wart with a surgeon's knife will increase its growth. This is the deepest misconception - it is surgery that will prevent the virus from spreading and prevent the wart from growing. Fortunately, there are enough methods for this.
Strange can be called those patients who are not afraid to use traditional home-grown methods and refuse qualified care. The experience and qualifications of a doctor are, of course, crucial, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.
And one more help - do not rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts. They simply do not have enough 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 grouped into 3 groups: hardware, surgical and chemical. Alternative treatment is more related to the method of physical (mechanical) impact.
When contacting the doctor, the doctor may recommend the best option, according to him, but the last choice is made by the patient himself.
Prior consultation is also required, as not all methods you choose may be appropriate, as there are contraindications and limitations.
Laser treatment
The laser method can be called universal. Among all methods, he is in the lead today. With the help of a laser you can remove warts on the most difficult, delicate and painful places. It is also advantageous in that it does not give scars. 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.
More laser pluses:
- 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 a pit that heals in 2 weeks. The skin may temporarily lighten, which also disappears on its own after 3 weeks.
Burning with liquid nitrogen
Cryodestruction is the freezing of a wart by the method of low temperatures using liquid nitrogen. Duration - 30 seconds. Freezing leads to the death of growth tissue. When exposed to frost, the papilloma thickens and turns white. After a minute, she blushes and swells.
A bubble of gray liquid will appear at home. In a week it will break through on its own and a crust will form. The bark heals and falls off in 2 weeks.
A pink spot remains, gradually its color will become equal to the skin. The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a pink spot appears at the site of removal, which gradually disappears.
Pros:
- no pain, no scarring and anesthesia;
- no infection or bleeding.
The only drawback is that there is no way to control the depth of impact.
The blow on the steps lasts about 1 minute. The procedure can be repeated on the sole up to 5 times. Minus - long wound healing.
Electrocoagulation
Wart electrocoagulation uses high frequency currents. It is concentrated in a cycle that cuts off the wart. The combustion temperature is about 80 degrees.
No bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of blood vessels. Local anesthesia is required. A big plus of the method is that it prevents further spread of the virus. In addition, the method is quite budget-friendly and efficient.
The surrounding tissue should be covered and the skin disinfected. There is also a stage of crust formation. Disappears within a week. Then there is an almost imperceptible, transparent scar, but more often a light spot. No relapses!
Application of radio wave therapy
The method is considered no less effective than electric current. Moxibustion is performed with the help of special devices, a doctor will help you choose the right one. It is a generator of radio waves, its high-frequency electric waves do not touch the wart, but cut it completely.
The essence of the action is that the cells of the wart contain fluid, which expands with radio waves, the wart swells and bursts. The work is done with a special tip, resembling a pen.
No scars or infections. The only drawback is the pain of the procedure, due to which the growth is pre-lubricated with anesthesia. Healthy cells are not damaged. The moxibustion lasts about 20 minutes.
Tip! At the stage of the crust can not get wet and peel off! She disappears on her own in a week.
Surgical excision
Surgical removal is a traditional, classic method that is performed with a scalpel. Not used often now. The method is traumatic and gives relapses, scars.
There is a risk of damage to adjacent tissues, the possibility of infection. But it is indispensable if the wart is large. Under local anesthesia with a special spoon after the incision the wart is scraped. The sutures are cosmetic, they are removed after a week. The scar remains about 3 mm in size and fades with time.
Chemical mixing
The formation is treated with acid or alkali. After a certain time, wash off. There are usually at least 6 procedures to achieve the effect. During this there is a burning or tingling sensation. The wart dries and falls off.
Disadvantages:
- there is a risk of further spread of the virus and infection is not excluded;
- healthy tissue is often damaged;
- scars are possible, healing takes about 10 days.
The method is only used if other methods are not possible.
Advantages and disadvantages of different methods, which one 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 - in descending order of frequency of use. The price of the first 3 methods is actually in the same price range.
The laser is the first to lead: there are no inaccessible places for it, it is safe, fast and painless. Cryodestruction is considered to be the second most effective, but there is no possibility to control the depth of exposure, due to which recurrences are possible.
And one more conclusion - the laser can remove only 1 small formation for 1 session.
Cryotherapy is applicable in papillomatosis, when up to 1 growth can be removed for 1 procedure. But here the experience of the doctor 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, back of the hands;
- flat- typical for adolescents, they are in the form of protruding spots; they include plantar (thorns);
- filamentous (accordes)- elastic thin growths on the legs, appearing on the face (eyelids, lips) and neck;
- genital warts - often localized on the genital mucosa; resemble cauliflower in appearance.
These 4 species are of viral origin and belong to real warts.
But there are also senile keratomas that 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 removed with aradio wave "knife" or liquid nitrogen.
Radio knifeis applicable for face and neck, feet and palms, groin. Not used for eyelid papillomas. They can use a laser or liquid nitrogen.
Freezingis also used on the hands and feet (on the sole), papillomas of 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 methodis used for large growths on the oral mucosa.
Electrocoagulationis recommended for flat and vulgar warts. It can even be applied on the face. In large formations the effect is insignificant. Also, the electric knife is not used for plantar warts, as they usually have deep roots and are very dense.
Important! It is recommended that plantar growths be removed only in a hospital.
The chemical method gives good results in plantar lesions, flat and pointed. Physical methods are ineffective compared to it.
What method of removal of formations do doctors recommend?
The client chooses, of course, according to his abilities. But he should be guided by the doctor's opinion on the right decision. Specialists prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the leading 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 ways its activation depends on the state of immunity, it can be slowed down, put to sleep and remission can be prolonged.
In addition to antiviral drugs, immunomodulators are used for this purpose. This is primarily a group of interferons.
Doctors treat folk methods without much enthusiasm, as treatment is not performed by doctors and will be dangerous. This is fraught with damage to surrounding tissues, infection, inflammation. Children under the age of 5 should not remove warts in any way.