The appearance of warts on the skin indicates an HPV (human papillomatosis virus) infection. Localization of skin growths on open areas of the body (face, neck, fingers) can be perceived as a cosmetic defect and will cause complex and psychological problems. The papillomavirus is contagious and can spread through contact. In this article, we will talk about how to get rid of warts and what methods of protection are considered the most effective.
Why do they appear?
Viral skin growths are considered benign tumors. They develop due to the multiplication of the papillomavirus, which enters the body through microdamage of the skin. Infection occurs through close contact with an infected person or sharing household items. The pathogen can enter the body by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces in traffic or public places.
The active development of growths is facilitated by a decrease in immunity caused by a number of unfavorable factors. These include recent illnesses or exacerbation of chronic illnesses, severe stressful situations, bad environment and bad habits. The weakened immune system cannot effectively destroy cells infected with the virus, so they multiply rapidly and the characteristic growths appear.
How to remove a wart so that more new ones do not appear in their place? In order to prevent the further spread of the papillomavirus, all treatment options must be supplemented with antiviral therapy. Strengthening the immune system is another important area. This is the only way to put the virus in "sleep" mode and eliminate possible relapses.
Types of warts
How to remove a wart that worsens your appearance and causes constant discomfort? This question should be addressed to a dermatologist. The doctor selects treatment methods, taking into account the modification of the virus and the type of tumor. Some warts require immediate removal, while others require medication.
The main forms of warts:
- Simple (vulgar) - a rounded growth with a rough surface in the form of a lump rising above the skin.
- Flat - several formations with a dense, smooth surface, almost not protruding above the skin. It most often affects children and adolescents.
- Palmoplantar - painful nodules with deep roots, covered with a keratinized layer. Appears in areas exposed to mechanical impact or constant pressure.
- Thread-like - looks like elongated growths on a thin stem. It is localized in the area of eyelids, eyes, armpits and groin wrinkles.
- Genital condylomas have a lobular structure and resemble papillomas in appearance. They develop in the perineal area and on the genitals.
Other common types of neoplasms include surrounding warts and senile keratomas.
The listed types are removed in different ways. For example, warts on the face cannot be removed with aggressive means, or cauterization or freezing of growths can be used. This approach does not exclude the formation of scars and chemical burns. Flat warts tend to coalesce into large groups. In this case, many hardware and chemical removal methods are not suitable, except for a special type of laser.
Sometimes skin tumors disappear on their own without treatment. In other cases, a person cannot cope with skin growth for years, as some types are prone to recurrence. How to remove a wart so that in the future you do not encounter the reappearance of new formations? Much depends on the correct diagnosis and the correctly selected treatment tactics.
When should it be deleted?
There is an opinion that it is not necessary to remove benign tumors, as they do not pose a particular danger. But doctors do not agree with this attitude. Warts on the face spoil the appearance, cause psychological problems and cause difficulties in communicating with people.
Growths on other exposed parts of the body (arms, neck, head, décolletage) can be accidentally damaged when shaving, during hygienic procedures or by rubbing with clothing. A damaged wart is a serious danger, as there is a risk of bacterial infection and even malignant degeneration.
In what situations should you urgently seek medical help?
- skin growth grows rapidly and increases in size;
- the shape and color of the neoplasm changes;
- the wart becomes painful and bleeds;
- plantar warts are very painful and make it difficult to walk;
- genital warts (genital warts) cause discomfort during sexual intercourse, defecation and urination.
If there is a risk of malignant degeneration, suspicious tumors should be removed immediately. In such cases, not only a person's health, but also his life depends on the correct and qualified actions of the doctor.
If the neoplasm is painless and does not cause concern, it is not necessary to resort to surgical intervention. To learn how to remove warts at home, see a dermatologist. The doctor will recommend a remedy that will be optimal in your case. If there is no result, then you have to resort to more radical methods - to remove tumors using hardware methods.
Removal of warts at home
There are many ways to control skin growth using special chemicals. These include keratolytic (exfoliating), cauterizing and mummifying drugs. Your dermatologist will tell you which wart removal product to choose. You should not self-medicate - first you need to find out the type of formation, and only then proceed with the procedures.
New growths of a viral nature tend to recur - often several new growths appear at the site of the removed wart. Only comprehensive treatment will help prevent further spread of the virus. For this, you need to take additional antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs that prevent the pathogen from multiplying and ensure a stable remission.
Once the papillomavirus has entered the body, it remains there forever. The main goal of the complex therapy is to put it in an inactive state in order to eliminate the manifestations visible on the skin. The specialist knows how to get rid of warts at home to forget about the unpleasant problem forever. If any tumor appears on the skin, you should consult a doctor, undergo a diagnostic test, and only then start treatment.
How to quickly remove warts at home
Some of the most effective ways to combat skin growth include products based on acids, alkalis, or liquid nitrogen. Let's take a closer look at how they can be used to remove warts at home.
- An aqueous solution based on potassium and sodium lye, which, when applied to a tumor, causes tissue death (death). Caustic alkalis penetrate deep into the structure of the growth (to the root), as a result of which the wart dries up and quickly falls off. Care must be taken when using this medicine. Aggressive lye can cause chemical burns to healthy tissue, so the skin around the growth should first be coated with petroleum jelly or baby cream. Using a special applicator, apply a small amount of the solution to the wart and wait for it to dry completely.
- An improved version of a drug that is now discontinued. The oily liquid based on phenol and 3-methylphenol has a cauterizing and mummifying effect. As a result, the wart dies and falls off. To avoid chemical burns, do not allow the solution to come into contact with healthy skin. Before the procedure, zinc paste should be applied around the wart. We treat the growths point by point, apply 3-4 times and wait for the liquid to be absorbed. The number of procedures is 4-10, depending on the type and localization of the wart.
- An effective Swiss-made product based on a combination of several acids (lactic acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, nitric acid). The drug is available in the form of a colorless solution, which has a strong mummifying effect when used. Before applying the drug, the dense, keratinized layers must be removed. For this, it is recommended to steam the formation in hot water, or to first use preparations with a keratolytic effect (for example, salicylic ointment). Apply the solution carefully with a special applicator, taking care not to get it on healthy skin. The procedure is repeated several times, with 1-day breaks.
- A drug that destroys wart tissue by freezing it. The mixture of active ingredients, dimethyl ether and propane, has the same effect as the process of removing warts with liquid nitrogen. The medicine is produced in cans with an aerosol nozzle. The outlet temperature of the mixture reaches - 57 °C. The cooling preparation is applied with a special applicator, depending on the type of tumor, and kept on the growth for 3-40 seconds. Sharp cooling of the wart leads to the destruction and death of the pathological tissue. A few days after the treatment, the formation dies.
Among other wart removal products, the following drugs are popular:
- a solution based on lactic and salicylic acid;
- cream paste with glycyrrhizic acid;
- aerosol for freezing;
- pencil based on silver nitrate;
- keratolytic agent with salicylic acid;
- podophyllotoxin-based cauterizing drug for the treatment of genital warts;
- gel based on polysaccharides of potato sprouts with antiviral effect;
- ointment with interferon alfa-2b, stimulates local immunity.
Any of the listed remedies can only be used after consultation with your doctor. In order to achieve the necessary therapeutic effect, the type and structure of the tumor, the area of its localization and possible contraindications must be taken into account.
How to remove warts on fingers
Finger growth is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a direct danger to others. The pathogen can easily spread to a healthy person by shaking hands or close contact. It is possible that tumors can be damaged during physical work or hygiene procedures.
How to remove a wart from the finger with the help of drugs, without resorting to hardware methods? For this, experts recommend the use of products with a mummifying effect. Using a pencil based on silver nitrate has a good effect, but you should not expect quick results from this method.
Before removing a wart on your finger, consult your doctor. Perhaps the best solution is to use products with a freezing effect. With the help of such drugs, you can get rid of large growths in just 5-7 days.
Sometimes several new warts appear at the same time at the site of the removed tumor. In this case, an integrated approach is needed. In addition to cauterizing or necrotizing agents, antiviral drugs should also be used. The dermatologist will advise you on how to get rid of the wart on your finger once and for all. In order to stop the spread of the virus, you need to take additional pills and treat the growths with an antiviral gel or ointment.
How to get rid of a wart on the leg
The removal of plantar warts causes certain difficulties. These are painful formations with deep roots, the surface of which is covered with a keratinized skin layer. In order for the drug with a necrotic effect to penetrate into the deep structure of pathological tissues, it is necessary to first steam the growth and clean the softened stratum corneum. Another option is to use a keratolytic agent (such as a salicylic acid patch or ointment). Products based on salicylic acid soften and exfoliate dead skin cells.
After preliminary preparation, it is recommended to treat the growth with any preparation containing alkalis or acids, or to use a preparation with a freezing effect. The most important thing is to destroy the root of the wart, which goes deep into the dermis. Only in this case it is possible to prevent repeated declines and the appearance of new formations.
Warts on the face cannot be removed with aggressive means. Sensitive skin can suffer chemical burns, which later form ugly scars. As a result, another cosmetic problem appears. It is recommended to get rid of tumors on the face using gentle methods (for example, laser wart removal).
When choosing a treatment method, the type and location of the warts must be taken into account. For example, when treating multiple flat warts, cauterizing or mummifying agents should not be used. In the treatment of genital warts, you can use medicines with certain concentrations of different acids, which are applied topically. To avoid burns, allergic reactions and other side effects, you should first consult a doctor.
Hardware techniques
In addition to drugs, hardware methods are widely used to combat warts. Some have been used for decades, while others have been developed recently and are considered the most advanced and safest.
Electrocoagulation
This method is recommended for the removal of vulgar, plantar and genital warts. It is based on burning the growth tissue with electric current. An electrocoagulator is a device that generates electric waves of a specific frequency. At the end of the working nozzle is a loop that instantly heats up to a high temperature and cuts away tumors while simultaneously cauterizing blood vessels to prevent bleeding and infection of the surgical site.
You can remove multiple growths in one session. This is an old, proven and cheap method. But it has many disadvantages - scarring, pain and a long rehabilitation period.
Cryodestruction
Removal of warts with nitrogen or cryodestruction - freezing of the formation with subsequent death. This is one of the simplest, bloodless and painless procedures. The wart is treated with an applicator or a directed stream of liquid nitrogen for a few seconds.
The ultra-low temperature (-196 °C) ensures the rapid freezing and destruction of pathological tissues. A blister forms at the site of the wart, which quickly opens and dries up. A dry crust will remain in place and will soon fall off on its own.
Laser wart removal
There are two types of installation used for laser wart removal. Some of them use heat radiation, which instantly heats and vaporizes the fluid in the diseased cells, killing them. This type of treatment is used to remove vulgar, filiform and genital warts. Warts on the soles cause significant discomfort and are difficult to treat with chemicals. Laser removal of plantar warts gives the best results, the effect of which is based on heat radiation.
The second type of laser installation destroys the warts by gluing the walls of the blood vessels that feed the tumor. Deprived of blood supply, the growth quickly dies and falls off, leaving clear skin in its place. This type of laser is best for removing multiple flat warts (including those on the face).
Removal with a radio knife
This is the latest development that ensures the painless and bloodless removal of tumors. High-frequency radio waves create a powerful heat effect that heats up the wart cells and destroys them from the inside. At the same time, radio waves disinfect surfaces and prevent the spread of the virus. The method is quite expensive and is performed using high-frequency radio wave equipment. It is used to remove all types of warts.
Laser or nitrogen removal: which is better?
Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. The laser ensures fast and painless removal of all types of warts. This is the most modern, safest and most effective procedure, which guarantees the absence of complications and relapses. The laser radiation destroys the wart tissue and at the same time coagulates the blood vessels, thereby preventing the risk of infection. The procedure does not require a long rehabilitation period and eliminates the possibility of scarring.
The cryodestruction process destroys the growth tissue due to the ultra-low temperature. This is one of the most accessible and painless procedures. But if you incorrectly calculate the depth of exposure, a scar may remain on the skin. When liquid nitrogen is used, complete healing takes 10-14 days.
How much does it cost to remove a wart?
The cost of wart removal services depends on the technique used, the equipment used, the type and location of the tumors. The cheapest procedure is electrocoagulation. In second place is the cryodestruction method.
The cost of the procedures is also influenced by the region of residence.
Removal of warts with celandine
Celandine is a herb whose juice has long been used to stimulate skin growths. Its effect is similar to that of alkaline-based chemicals. The plant is harvested during the flowering period, taking precautions to avoid burns.
Warts are treated with fresh fruit juice 3-4 times a day, avoiding contact with healthy skin. You should not expect immediate results. It takes 2-3 weeks for the growth to dry out and fall off. Tumors located on the mucous membrane cannot be treated with celandine juice, otherwise chemical burns cannot be avoided.
Before using any folk remedies (celandine juice, vinegar, tea tree oil), consult your doctor and get his approval for the procedures.