In addition to being a cosmetic defect, warts are a sign that the body is infected with papillomavirus and needs treatment. There are several ways to get rid of neoplasms, but the most popular is to remove papillomas with a laser. This method is considered one of the safest, it allows you to quickly remove the papilloma, and after its removal, complications almost never appear. But the laser is not a panacea and is not suitable for everyone. Let's consider how laser therapy is done and learn about the pros and cons of the procedure.
What is laser therapy
Laser therapy involves exposing a neoplasm to a beam of light with a specific wavelength. When removing papillomas, the following happens:
- Moisture evaporates from the cells of the neoplasm;
- the cell structure begins to deteriorate.
The beam of light that destroys the wart almost does not injure the epidermis. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia.
The advantages of technology
Specialists who choose a method of removing papilloma prefer a laser. Let's consider the main advantages of laser surgery:
- Low injury rate. The depth of the beam is chosen individually and during the exposure only the wart is removed without damaging the deeper layers of the epidermis.
- Bloodlessness. The light beam causes the vessels to coagulate (stick the walls together) that supply the neoplasm, so that there is no bleeding during the procedure.
- Low risk of infection. Due to the fact that the vessels "stick" together, the likelihood of infection in the resulting wound is minimal.
- The ability to remove papilloma anywhere in the human body.
- Absence of post-operative scars. Subject to medical recommendations for skin care, no traces remain at the location of the laser irradiation. This makes it possible to get rid of papillomas on the neck, face and other exposed parts of the body without the risk of ugly scars.
- Short rehabilitation phase. The trace from the intervention heals in a week.
- The ability to get rid of neoplasms of any size. The size of the wart does not matter with laser therapy.
- Relative painlessness. During the exposure to the light beam, most patients feel only heat, pain is only noted in people with increased sensitivity. To relieve pain or discomfort, the removal is done under local anesthesia.
- Safety. It is allowed to get rid of 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 eliminating the formation.
The need for consultation is to distinguish papillomas from other neoplasms and identify possible contraindications.
Disadvantages and possible contraindications
Despite its safety, laser wart removal has several disadvantages:
- Scarring. This complication occurs in people with poor tissue regeneration ability. Scars at the site of a removed wart are rare.
- Secondary infection occurs. 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 there may be a reaction to the anesthesia. The 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 for a fee, the cost of which depends on the size of the wart and the number of formations.
- Inability to conduct a cytological study. During laser exposure, the cells of the wart formation are completely destroyed, and if tissue degeneration is suspected, the removed papilloma must be examined.
In addition to the possible negative consequences of removal, there are absolute contraindications:
- endocrine disorders (thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, etc. );
- infectious and inflammatory processes of the skin in the place of localization of growth;
- acute illnesses or exacerbation of chronic illnesses;
- recent prolonged exposure to the sun or a visit to the solarium (2 weeks should pass from the moment you tan);
- oncological processes;
- Pregnancy and breast feeding period.
Before the procedure, the doctor examines the patient and determines possible complications after the removal of the papilloma and the presence of contraindications. Consulting a doctor will help reduce the risk of complications.
Which 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 by laser destruction.
Laser therapy is indicated for the following types of warts:
- vulgar;
- Condylomas;
- Spines;
- even;
- thread-like;
- on a thin leg.
A contraindication for the use of laser therapy is the suspicion that pathological tissue degeneration is present and a cytological examination is required. In this case, the extraction takes place in a different way, which makes it possible to store the biomaterial for analysis.
Machine types
There are several types of papilloma removal devices:
- Contour TRL (tunable laser for surface resurfacing). It is considered one of the safest and is equipped with a beam adjustment function that allows you to accurately calculate the depth of penetration into the tissue.
- Sciton embedded in the laser platform. The new technology makes it possible to warm up the deep layers of the epidermis and remove the skin cells that have been changed by the papillomavirus. In addition to eliminating warts, the device is also used for cosmetic procedures.
- SmartXide DOT (Italy). It is gentle on the epidermis and is used not only to remove warts, but also to rejuvenate the skin (during the process of "removal" of the upper layer of the keratinized epithelium takes place).
Doctors qualitatively remove papillomas with one of the devices described and use laser beams as an alternative to a surgical scalpel.
Laser destruction is considered to be one of the less traumatic methods of removing warts. However, despite the safety of the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor before performing it in order to reduce the risk of side effects and identify contraindications.
The type of equipment purchased depends on the clinic's profile (additional provision of cosmetic services) and the facility's financial capabilities (equipment costs differently).
Prepare for the procedure
Laser removal of papilloma does not require any special training. But before you decide on the procedure, it is recommended:
- Determine the strain of HPV. Some of the papillomaviruses are oncogenic.
- Show a wart formation to a dermatologist. This is important if the papilloma changes color or shape. If an oncological process is suspected, a cytological examination is necessary, which cannot be carried out after laser elimination.
On the day of the procedure, you need to wash the site of the wart clean and not drink alcohol.
How is laser removal performed?
The laser destruction can conditionally be divided into several phases:
- antiseptic treatment of the surface of the skin;
- Injection of a local anesthetic (if necessary);
- Layer by layer laser evaporation of papilloma.
Skin neoplasms clear in a short amount of time (from a few seconds to several minutes) and usually no further treatment is required.
Multiple treatments may only be required if the tumor is large. In this case, the wart is removed in layers over several days to reduce trauma to the epithelium.
How to treat wounds after papilloma removal
To avoid complications after removing the papilloma, 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 marigold tincture. If there is little cell regeneration, you will need to consult a dermatologist to treat the postoperative surface to avoid scarring.
- What not to do after the procedure. It is strictly forbidden to peel off the crust formed at the extraction site or to injure the wound. The crust will fall off on its own after the regeneration process is complete, and in order to avoid injuries when rubbing it with clothing, it is recommended that the area where the wart was removed be taped with a bactericidal plaster. You don't have to keep the band-aid on, however - the wound needs air to heal completely.
After removing the papilloma with a laser, care is simple: you just do not need to injure the surface of the wound and regularly treat it with wound healing agents. If there is a risk of complications related to scarring, the doctor will make special recommendations for wound care after the procedure.
Rehabilitation phase
Despite the fact that the recovery period after laser destruction is short, it is important to follow all the recommendations of the doctor after laser removal of papillomas.
The laser-treated skin surface usually heals 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 crust.
In most patients, the scabs disappear after 7-10 days, and it may take longer as large wart formations are destroyed. After the crust has fallen off, a smooth pink epidermis is visible at the removal site, which gradually takes on a normal color.
Is it Painful to Remove a Papilloma with a Laser?
Most patients are afraid of pain and having confidence in the absence of pain is important for psychological comfort. The following can be said about laser therapy:
- instead of the laser effect, only heat can be felt;
- Laser removal under local anesthesia is performed on suspicious patients or those with skin hypersensitivity.
The removal time is short (maximum - a few minutes), and only slight discomfort can be felt at the site of the removed wart, which disappears in the first few days after its destruction.
How much does the service cost in clinics
The cost of papilloma removal depends on the following factors:
- the reputation of the clinic;
- what parts of the body are the warts (a "special approach" is required for the face and genitals);
- Size, as well as other factors.