Modern methods, methods of removing warts, what method doctors recommend

Warts are benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes that occur as a result of the activation of the human papillomavirus.

They do not look aesthetically pleasing and often cause complexes. A person wants to get rid of them, but does not know how …

Does the growth need to be removed?

It depends on the size of the papillomas, their nature and the age of the person. But most often the answer is definitely yes, because warts are contagious and can be transmitted to others. Perhaps self-infection – autoinoculation.

Firstly , the contagiousness of neoplasms is manifested not only by direct contact with them, but also by using common household items, personal hygiene items, or simply by 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 often rubbed with clothes, squeezed and hurt. Then it is fraught with malignancy, bleeding, growth.

Thirdly , formations can increase in size and quantity, this causes aesthetic problems. Such a phenomenon can be called the conquest of territory by a wart.

The main 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 spontaneously disappear after 2 years of their existence, they can just as well return to new places.

The fears of many when contacting a surgeon are associated with the fear of the operation, its complications, relapses and possible pain during the procedure. They are completely groundless, since modern methods give very good pain relief, and many do not require anesthesia at all.

There is also a common belief that an extra touch of the wart with a surgeon’s knife will increase its growth. This is the deepest delusion – 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.

Strange can be called those patients who are not afraid to use folk home-grown methods and refuse qualified help. The experience and qualifications of a doctor are, of course, of decisive importance, but a good surgeon is not uncommon.

And one more note – do not rely on cosmetologists and run to them with warts. They just don’t have enough 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. Alternative treatment refers more to the method of physical (mechanical) impact.

The doctor at your request can recommend the best option, in his opinion, but the last choice is made by the patient himself.

A preliminary consultation is also necessary because not all the methods you have chosen may be suitable, since 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, warts can be removed in the most inaccessible, tender and painful places. It is also beneficial in that it does not give 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 the wart is burning out with temperature. Healing is fast, without scars and complications.

Other advantages of the laser:

• the patient does not feel pain;
• anesthesia is not 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 by the method of low temperatures using liquid nitrogen. Duration – 30 seconds. Freezing leads to the death of the growth tissue. When exposed to freezing, the papilloma  thickens and turns white. After a minute, she turns red and swells.

A bubble with a gray liquid will appear at home. In a week, it will break through itself and a crust will form. The crust heals and falls off in 2 weeks.

A pinkish spot remains, gradually its color will become equal to the skin. The formation will disappear within 2 weeks and a spot with a pinkish tinge appears at the site of removal, which gradually disappears.

Pros:

• no pain, no 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 up to 5 times on the sole. Minus – long wound healing .

Electrocoagulation

Electrocoagulation for warts uses the action of high frequency currents. It concentrates in a loop that cuts off the wart. The cauterization temperature is about 80 degrees.

There is no bleeding due to simultaneous coagulation of the vessels. Requires local anesthesia. A big plus of the method is that it does not allow the virus to spread further. In addition, the method is quite budgetary and effective.

Surrounding tissues should be covered and the skin pre-disinfected. There is also a peel stage. It disappears within a week. After that, an almost imperceptible, transparent scar remains, but more often a light spot. There are no relapses!

The use of radio wave therapy

The method is considered no less effective than electric current. Cauterization is done using the Surgitron apparatus. This is a radio wave generator, its high-frequency electrical waves do not touch the wart, but completely cut it off.

The essence of the action is that the cells of the wart contain a liquid that expands with radio waves, the wart swells and bursts. The work is done with a special tip resembling a ballpoint pen.

There are no scars or infections. The only downside is the painfulness of the procedure, because of this, the growth is pre-lubricated with an anesthetic. Healthy cells are not damaged. Cauterization lasts about 20 minutes.

Surgical excision

Surgical removal is the traditional, classic method, which is performed using a scalpel. Now rarely used. 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. Cosmetic sutures are removed after a week. The scar remains about 3 mm in size, with time it fades.

Chemical cauterization

The formation is pointwise affected by acid or alkali. Wash off after a certain time. Procedures are usually at least 6 to achieve the effect. It is felt when it is carried out burning or tingling. The wart dries up and falls off.

Flaws:

• there is a risk of spreading the virus further and infection is not excluded;
• healthy tissue is often damaged;
• scars are possible, healing takes about 10 days.

The method is used only when other methods are not possible.

Advantages and disadvantages of different methods, which one and the better

Any removal methods have their 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 first leader is the laser: 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?

Warts are of 4 types:

• vulgar – in the form of small nodules, often grow on the fingers and toes, the back of the hands;
• flat – characteristic of adolescents, they come in the form of protruding spots; these include plantar (thorns);
• filiform (acrochords) – elastic thin outgrowths on the leg , appear on the face (eyelids, lips) and neck;
• genital warts – more 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 removal method , but the patient chooses in the end. How the choice of method depends on the type of wart: small formations can safely be removed by a radio wave “knife”, or liquid nitrogen .

The radioknife is applicable on the face and neck, feet and hands, groin. With papillomas on the eyelids, it is not used. With them, you can use a laser or liquid nitrogen.

Freezing is also applied on the hands and feet (on the sole), papillomas on the neck . The cryomethod can be called universal. He is safe.

Laser – removes any warts on any part of the body, including under the nail.

The surgical method is used for large growths, on the oral mucosa.

Electrocoagulation is recommended for flat and vulgar warts. It can even be used on the face. With large formations, the effect is insignificant. Also, electroknife is not used for plantar warts, because they usually have deep roots and are very dense.

The chemical method gives good results with plantar lesions, flat and pointed. Physical methods are ineffective in comparison with it.

What method of removal of formations is recommended by doctors?

Of course, the client chooses according to his capabilities. But he must be guided by the opinion of the doctor for the right decision. Specialists prefer complex (combined) treatment of warts, where the leading place belongs to the removal.

In addition, the 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, “lulled”, and 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, since the treatment is not carried out by doctors and will be unsafe. It is fraught with damage to surrounding tissues, infection, inflammation. Warts for children under 5 years of age cannot be removed by any means.