Warts are not only a cosmetic defect, but also a sign that the body is infected with the papilloma virus and requires treatment. There are several ways to remove neoplasms, but the most popular is the laser removal of the papilloma. This method is considered one of the safest, allows you to quickly get rid of the papilloma, and after its removal, complications almost never occur. But lasers are not a panacea and are not suitable for everyone. Let's consider how laser therapy is carried out, as well as get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of the process.
What is laser therapy?
Laser therapy involves exposing the neoplasm to a beam of light of a specific wavelength. When removing papillomas, the following happens:
- moisture evaporates from the cells of the neoplasm;
- cellular structure begins to deteriorate.
Rays of light, destroying warts, barely injure the epidermis. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
Advantages of technique
Specialists, choosing the method of removing papillomas, prefer lasers. Let's consider the main advantages of laser surgery:
- Low injury rate. The depth of the beam is selected individually, and during exposure only the wart is removed without injuring the deeper layers of the epidermis.
- not bleeding. The light beam causes coagulation (sticking of the walls) of the vessels supplying the neoplasm, so there is no bleeding during the procedure.
- Low risk of infection. Due to the fact that the vessels "stick together", the probability of infection in the resulting wound is minimal.
- The ability to remove papillomas anywhere on the human body.
- Less postoperative scarring. Subject to medical recommendations for skin care, no marks are left at the site of laser exposure. This makes it possible to remove papillomas on the neck, face and other exposed parts of the body without the risk of getting ugly scars.
- Short rehabilitation period. The traces of the intervention healed within a week.
- The ability to remove neoplasms of any size. The size of the wart does not matter with laser therapy.
- Relative discomfort. During the action of the beam, most patients feel only warmth, pain is noted only in people with increased sensitivity. To relieve pain or discomfort, the removal is performed under local anesthesia.
- Security. It is allowed to remove papillomas even in childhood.
Despite the fact that laser removal has advantages over other methods and is carried out in many beauty salons, it is necessary to consult a doctor before removing the formation.
The need for consultation is to differentiate papillomas from other neoplasms and to identify possible contraindications.
Disadvantages and possible contraindications
Despite its safety, laser wart growth removal has several disadvantages:
- Scar formation. This complication develops in people with low tissue regenerative capacity. Scarring at the site of the removed wart is rare.
- Accession of secondary infection. Improper wound care after laser removal leads to infection of the wound surface, which is accompanied by edema or suppuration.
- Allergy. There are no allergic manifestations to the laser, but reactions to anesthetics may occur. Manifestations can be different: from local hyperemia and edema to anaphylactic shock.
- High price. For neoplasms caused by the HPV virus, laser removal is performed at a cost, and the cost depends on the size of the wart and the number of formations.
- Inability to perform cytological studies. With laser exposure, the cells of the wart formation are completely destroyed, and if tissue degeneration is suspected, it is necessary to study the removed papilloma.
In addition to the possible negative consequences of deletion, there are absolute contraindications:
- endocrine disorders (thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, etc. );
- infectious and inflammatory processes on the skin at the site of growth localization;
- acute illness or exacerbation of chronic disease;
- recent prolonged sun exposure or visits to the solarium (2 weeks must pass since you tan);
- oncological processes;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Before the procedure, the doctor examines the patient, determines possible complications after removal of the papilloma and the presence of contraindications. Consulting a doctor helps reduce the risk of complications.
What papillomas can be removed with a laser?
Is it dangerous to remove papillomas with a laser? Only the doctor will answer after examining the patient. Almost all types of warts can be removed using laser destruction.
Laser therapy is indicated for the following types of warty formations:
- vulgar;
- condyloma;
- thorns;
- flat;
- threadlike;
- on slender legs.
A contraindication to the use of laser therapy is the suspicion that pathological degeneration of tissues has occurred, and a cytological examination is necessary. In this case, the removal is carried out in a different way, which makes it possible to preserve the biomaterial for analysis.
Machine Type:
There are several types of equipment for removing papillomas:
- Contour TRL (Even Coating Laser). It is considered one of the safest, is equipped with a beam adjustment function, which allows you to accurately calculate the depth of penetration into the tissue.
- The Sciton is embedded in the laser platform. The new technology makes it possible to properly warm the deep layers of the epidermis, removing skin cells transformed by the papilloma virus. Apart from removing warts, this device is used for cosmetic procedures.
- SmartXide DOT (Italy). It has a sparing effect on the epidermis and is used not only to remove wart growths, but also to rejuvenate the skin (while the process of "removing" the top layer of the keratinized epithelium is taking place).
Doctors qualitatively remove papillomas with one of the described devices, using a laser beam as an alternative to a scalpel.
Laser removal is considered one of the less traumatic methods of removing warts. However, despite the safety of the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor before doing it to reduce the risk of side effects and identify contraindications.
The type of equipment purchased depends on the profile of the clinic (providing additional cosmetic services) and the financial capabilities of the institution (cost of different devices).
Preparing the procedure
Laser removal of papillomas does not require special training. But before you undergo this procedure, it is recommended:
- Determine the type of HPV. Some papilloma viruses are oncogenically dangerous.
- Show the warty formation to a dermatologist. This is important when the color or shape of the papilloma changes. If an oncological process is suspected, a cytologic examination is required, which cannot be performed after laser elimination.
On the day of the procedure, you need to clean the site of the wart localization and not drink alcohol.
How is laser removal done?
Laser destruction can conditionally be divided into several stages:
- antiseptic treatment of the skin surface;
- injection of local anesthetic (if necessary);
- Papilloma laser vaporization layer by layer.
Skin neoplasms are removed in a short time (from a few seconds to a few minutes) and no re-treatment is usually necessary.
Some treatments may be needed only if the tumor is large. In this case, to reduce trauma to the epithelium, the warts are removed layer by layer for several days.
How to treat wounds after removing papillomas
To avoid complications after the papilloma is removed, doctors give the following recommendations:
- What to process. It is necessary to use wound healing ointments or gels and wipe the postoperative wound with a weak solution of manganese or tincture of calendula. With low cell regeneration, you need to consult a dermatologist about how to treat the postoperative surface to avoid scarring.
- What not to do after the procedure. It is strictly forbidden to peel off the crust that has formed at the site of removal or injure the wound. The scale will come off on its own after the regeneration process is complete, and to avoid sores when rubbed with clothes, it is recommended to glue the wart removal site with a bactericidal plaster. But you don't have to walk around in a plaster all the time - the wound needs air access for full healing.
After laser removal of papillomas, treatment is easy: you just need not to injure the wound surface and regularly treat it with wound healing agents. With the risk of complications associated with scar formation, doctors give specific recommendations on how to treat the wound after the procedure.
Rehabilitation period
Despite the fact that the recovery period after laser destruction is short, it is important to follow all the recommendations given by the doctor after laser removal of papillomas.
Usually, laser-treated skin surface healing occurs one week after the procedure. To prevent the appearance of scars and scars, it is necessary to use the recommended drugs and not try to peel off the formed crusts.
In most patients, the crust disappears in 7-10 days, and with the destruction of large warty formations, more time may be required. After the crust is removed, a smooth pink epidermis is visible at the removal site, which gradually changes to a normal color.
Is it painful to remove papillomas with a laser?
Most patients fear pain, and the belief that the absence of pain is important for psychological comfort. The following can be said about laser therapy:
- only heat is felt at the site of laser action;
- suspicious patients or people with skin hypersensitivity undergo laser removal under local anesthesia.
The removal time is short (maximum - a few minutes), and only slight discomfort is felt at the site of the removed wart, which disappears in the first days after destruction.
How much does the service cost at the clinic
The cost of removing papillomas depends on the following:
- clinical reputation;
- warts on which parts of the body (for the face and genitals a "special approach" is required);
- size, and other factors.