Warts are not just a cosmetic defect, but also a sign that the body is infected with the papillomavirus and requires treatment. There are several ways to eliminate neoplasms, but the most popular is laser removal of papillomas. This method is considered one of the safest, as it allows rapid removal of the papilloma and, after removal, complications almost never occur. But laser is not a panacea and is not suitable for everyone. We will consider how laser therapy is performed, as well as learn about the advantages and disadvantages of this process.
What is laser therapy
Laser therapy involves exposing a neoplasm to a beam of light with a specific wavelength. When removing papillomas, the following occurs:
- moisture evaporates from the neoplasm cells;
- the cell structure starts to deteriorate.
The beam of light, destroying the wart, barely hurts the epidermis. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
The advantages of the technique
Experts, when choosing a method for papilloma removal, prefer the laser. Let's consider the main advantages of laser surgery:
- Low injury rate. The beam depth is individually selected and, during exposure, only the wart is removed without injuring the deeper layers of the epidermis.
- No blood. The light beam causes coagulation (adhesion of the walls) of the vessels that supply the neoplasm, with no bleeding during the procedure.
- Low risk of infection. Because the vessels "stick together", the likelihood of infection in the resulting wound is minimal.
- The ability to remove papilloma from any part of the human body.
- Absence of postoperative scars. Subject to medical skin care recommendations, no traces remain at the laser exposure site. This makes it possible to eliminate papillomas on the neck, face and other exposed parts of the body, without the risk of getting unsightly scars.
- Short rehabilitation period. The intervention trail will heal in a week.
- The ability to eliminate neoplasms of any size. The size of the wart does not matter with laser therapy.
- No relative pain. During the action of the light beam, most patients feel only heat, pain is only noticed in people with increased sensitivity. To eliminate pain or discomfort, removal is done under local anesthesia.
- Safety. It is allowed to eliminate papillomas in childhood.
Although laser removal has advantages over other methods and is performed 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 to identify possible contraindications.
Disadvantages and possible contraindications
Despite its safety, laser removal of verrucous growths has several disadvantages:
- Scar formation. This complication develops in people with low tissue regenerative capacity. Scars at the site of a removed wart are rare.
- Access to a secondary infection. Improper wound care after laser removal leads to wound surface infection, which is accompanied by swelling or suppuration.
- Allergy. There are no allergic manifestations to the laser, but a reaction to anesthesia 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 done for a fee and the cost depends on the size of the wart and the number of formations.
- Inability to conduct a cytological study. With laser exposure, the cells in the verrucous 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 removal, there are absolute contraindications:
- endocrine disruptions (thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, etc. );
- infectious and inflammatory skin processes at the site of growth location;
- acute illnesses or exacerbation of chronic illnesses;
- recent prolonged exposure to the sun or a visit to the solarium (2 weeks must pass from the time you tan);
- oncological processes;
- pregnancy and lactation.
Before the procedure, the physician examines the patient, determining possible complications after the removal of the papilloma and the presence of contraindications. A doctor's appointment helps to 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 respond after examining the patient. Almost all types of warts can be removed by laser destruction.
Laser therapy is indicated for the following types of verrucous formations:
- vulgar;
- condylomas;
- thorns;
- plan;
- threadlike;
- on a thin leg.
A contraindication for the use of laser therapy is the suspicion that pathological tissue degeneration has occurred, requiring cytological examination. In this case, the removal is done in a differentiated way, which allows the preservation of the biomaterial for analysis.
Machine Types
There are several types of papilloma removal equipment:
- Contour TRL (Adjustable Resurfacing Laser). It is considered one of the safest, equipped with a beam adjustment function, which allows the accurate calculation of tissue penetration depth.
- Sciton embedded in laser platform. The new technology makes it possible to heat up the deep layers of the epidermis, removing skin cells altered by the papillomavirus. In addition to eliminating warts, the device is used for cosmetic procedures.
- SmartXide DOT (Italy). It has a sparing effect on the epidermis and is used not only to remove verrucous growths, but also to rejuvenate the skin (while the process of "removing" the upper layer of keratinized epithelium takes place).
Doctors qualitatively remove papillomas with any of the devices described, using laser beams as an alternative to a surgical scalpel.
Laser destruction is considered to be one of the least traumatic methods for removing warts. But despite the safety of the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor before performing it to reduce the risk of side effects and identify contraindications.
The type of equipment purchased depends on the profile of the clinic (additional offer of cosmetic services) and the financial capacity of the institution (equipment varies in cost).
Preparing for the procedure
Laser papilloma removal does not require specialized training. But before going to the procedure, it is recommended:
- Determine the HPV strain. Some of the papillomaviruses are oncogenically dangerous.
- Show a verrucous formation to a dermatologist. This is important when the color or shape of the papilloma changes. If an oncological process is suspected, a cytological examination is necessary, which cannot be done after eliminating the laser.
On the day of the procedure, it is necessary to wash the area where the wart is located and not drink alcohol.
How is laser removal done?
Laser destruction can be conditionally divided into several steps:
- antiseptic treatment of the skin surface;
- injection of a local anesthetic (if necessary);
- layer-by-layer laser evaporation of papilloma.
Skin neoplasms are eliminated in a short period of time (several seconds to several minutes) and usually no retreatment is needed.
Multiple treatments may be needed only if the tumor is large. In this case, to reduce trauma to the epithelium, the removal of the wart layer by layer is carried out for several days.
How to Treat Wounds After Removing Papillomas
To avoid complications after papilloma removal, doctors give the following recommendations:
- What to process. It is necessary to use healing ointments or gels and clean the postoperative wound with a weak solution of manganese or calendula tincture. With low cell regeneration, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist to know how to treat the postoperative surface to avoid scarring.
- What not to do after the procedure. It is strictly prohibited to remove the scab formed at the removal site or to injure the wound. The scab will fall off of its own accord after completion of the regeneration process and, to avoid injury when rubbing with clothing, it is recommended to stick the wart removal site with a bactericidal adhesive. But you don't have to constantly walk around in the cast - the wound needs access to air for complete healing.
After removing the papilloma with a laser, care is easy: you just need to not injure the wound surface and treat it regularly with healing agents. At the risk of complications associated with scarring, the doctor gives special recommendations on how to care for the wound after the procedure.
rehabilitation period
Although the recovery period after laser destruction is short, it is important to follow all the doctor's recommendations after laser removal of papillomas.
As a general rule, healing of the laser-treated skin surface takes place one week after the procedure. To prevent the appearance of scars and scars, it is necessary to use the recommended medications and not try to peel the formed scab.
In most patients, scabs disappear within 7 to 10 days and, with the destruction of large verrucous formations, it may take longer. After the crust has fallen off, a smooth, pink epidermis is visible at the removal site, which gradually takes on a normal color.
It is painful to remove a papilloma with a laser
Most patients are afraid of pain, and confidence in the absence of pain is important for psychological comfort. The following can be said about laser therapy:
- only heat is felt instead 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 few days after destruction.
How much does the service at the clinics cost
The papilloma removal cost depends on the following:
- the clinic's reputation;
- which parts of the body are the warts (for the face and genitals a "special approach" is needed);
- size as well as other factors.