Warts are not only a cosmetic defect, but also a sign that the body is infected with papillomavirus and requires treatment. There are several ways to eliminate neoplasms, but the most popular is the removal of papillomas with a laser. This method is considered one of the safest, it allows you to quickly remove the papilloma, and after removal, complications almost never happen. But the laser is not a panacea and is 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 exposure of a neoplasm to a light beam with a specific wavelength. When removing papillomas, the following occurs:
- moisture evaporates from the cells of the neoplasm;
- the cellular structure begins to deteriorate.
The light beam, destroying the wart, almost does not injure the epidermis. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
The advantages of the technique
Specialists, choosing a method for removing papilloma, prefer a laser. Let's consider the main advantages of laser surgery:
- Low injury rate. The depth of the beam is selected individually, and during the exposure only the wart is eliminated without injuring the deeper layers of the epidermis.
- Bloodlessness. The light beam causes coagulation (adhesion 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 papilloma anywhere in the human body.
- Lack of postoperative scars. Subject to medical recommendations for skin care, no traces remain at the site of laser exposure. This makes it possible to get rid of papillomas on the neck, face and other exposed parts of the body without the risk of getting ugly scars.
- Short rehabilitation period. The trail from the intervention heals in a week.
- The ability to eliminate neoplasms of any size. The size of the wart does not matter with laser therapy.
- Relative painlessness. During the action of the light beam, most patients feel only warmth, pain is noted only in persons with increased sensitivity. To eliminate pain or discomfort, removal is done under local anesthesia.
- Safety. It is allowed to eliminate 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 to identify possible contraindications.
Disadvantages and possible contraindications
Despite the safety, laser removal of warty 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.
- Accession of a 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 a reaction to anesthesia may develop. Manifestations can be different: from local hyperemia and edema to anaphylactic shock.
- High price. For neoplasms caused by the HPV virus, laser removal is carried out 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 of the warty 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 processes of the skin at the site of localization of the 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 get a tan);
- oncological processes;
- pregnancy and lactation.
Before the procedure, the doctor examines the patient, determining possible complications after removal of the papilloma and the presence of contraindications. A doctor's consultation helps to 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;
- condylomas;
- spines;
- flat;
- threadlike;
- on a thin leg.
A contraindication for the use of laser therapy is the suspicion that a 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 types
There are several types of equipment for removing papillomas:
- Contour TRL (Tunable Resurfacing Laser). It is considered one of the safest, equipped with a beam adjustment function, which 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 well, removing the 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 warty growths, but also to rejuvenate the skin (while the process of "removing" the upper layer of keratinized epithelium occurs).
Doctors qualitatively remove papillomas with any of the described devices, using laser beams as an alternative to a surgical scalpel.
Laser destruction is considered one of the less traumatic methods for eliminating warts. But, despite the safety of the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor before carrying out it to reduce the risk of side effects and identify contraindications.
The type of equipment purchased depends on the profile of the clinic (additional provision of cosmetic services) and on the financial capabilities of the institution (devices differ in cost).
Preparing for the procedure
Laser removal of papilloma does not require specialized training. But before you go for the procedure, it is recommended:
- Determine the HPV strain. Some of the papillomaviruses are oncogenically dangerous.
- Show a warty 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 laser elimination.
On the day of the procedure, you need to cleanly wash the site of localization of the wart and not drink alcohol.
How is laser removal performed?
Laser destruction can be conditionally divided into several stages:
- 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 (from several seconds to several minutes) and usually no re-treatment is required.
Several treatments may be needed only if the tumor is large. In this case, in order to reduce trauma to the epithelium, layer-by-layer removal of the wart is carried out for several days.
How to treat wounds after removing papillomas
To avoid complications after the papilloma has been 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 manganese solution or calendula tincture. With low cell regeneration, you need to consult a dermatologist about how to treat the postoperative surface in order to avoid scarring.
- What not to do after the procedure. It is strictly forbidden to peel off the crust formed at the site of removal or injure the wound. The crust will fall off on its own after the regeneration process is completed, and in order to avoid injury when rubbing with clothes, it is recommended to glue the place where the wart is removed with a bactericidal plaster. But you do not need to constantly walk with the plaster - the wound needs air access for full healing.
After removal of papilloma with a laser, care is easy: you just need not to injure the wound surface and regularly treat it with wound healing agents. At the risk of complications associated with the formation of scars, the doctor gives special recommendations on how to care for 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.
As a rule, the healing of the laser-treated skin surface occurs one week after the procedure. To prevent the appearance of scars and scars, it is necessary to use the recommended medicines and not try to peel off the formed crust.
In most patients, the crusts disappear by 7-10 days, and with the destruction of large warty formations, it may take more time. After the crust has fallen off, a smooth pink epidermis is visible at the site of removal, which gradually takes on a normal color.
Is it 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 in the place of laser action;
- suspicious patients or persons with hypersensitivity of the skin 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 in clinics
The cost of removing papillomas depends on the following:
- the reputation of the clinic;
- on which parts of the body are the warts (for the face and genitals a "special approach" is needed);
- size, as well as other factors.