Warts are not only a cosmetic defect but also a sign that the body is infected with the papilloma virus and needs treatment. There are several ways to remove papillomas, but the most common is laser removal. This method is considered one of the safest, it allows you to remove papillomas quickly and after excision almost without complications. But lasers are not a panacea and aren't right for everyone. Let's take a look at how laser therapy is done, as well as get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of the process.
What is laser therapy?
Laser therapy involves exposing the tumor to a beam of light of a specific wavelength. When papillomas are removed, the following happens:
- moisture evaporates from the cells of the tumor;
- Cell structure begins to deteriorate.
The light beam, destroys the wart, almost does not hurt the epidermis. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
The advantages of engineering
Specialists who choose to remove papillomas prefer lasers. Let's look at the main advantages of laser surgery:
- Low injury rate. The depth of the beam is selected individually and during exposure only the warts are removed without damaging the deeper layers of the epidermis.
- No bloodshed. The light beam coagulates (coagulates the vessel wall) of the vessels supplying the tumor, so there is no bleeding during surgery.
- Low risk of infection. Due to the fact that the vessels "stick together", the chances of infection in the wound are minimal.
- The ability to remove papillomas anywhere on the human body.
- Lack of scars after surgery. According to medical recommendations for skin care, no traces 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 leaving ugly scars.
- Short rehabilitation time. Traces from the intervention will heal in a week.
- The ability to remove tumors of any size. The size of the wart does not matter with laser therapy.
- Relatively painless. During the impact of the light beam, most patients feel only warmth, pain is noted only in those with increased sensitivity. To eliminate pain or discomfort, the removal is performed under local anesthesia.
- Safety. It is allowed to remove papillomas even in childhood.
Despite the fact that laser formation removal has advantages over other methods and is performed in many salons, it is necessary to consult a doctor before removing the formation of the vulva.
The need for consultation is to differentiate papillomas from other tumor types and identify possible contraindications.
Possible disadvantages and contraindications
While safe, laser milia removal has several downsides:
- Scar formation. This complication develops in people with low tissue regeneration. Very rarely, scarring will appear at the site of the excised wart.
- Secondary infection. Improper wound care after laser ablation leads to infection of the wound surface, accompanied by edema or swelling.
- Allergy. There are no manifestations of allergy to the laser, but a reaction to the anesthetic may develop. Manifestations can vary: from local congestion and edema to anaphylaxis.
- Expensive. For tumors caused by the HPV virus, laser removal is done for a fee, and the cost depends on the size of the pimple and how much it forms.
- Inability to carry out a cytological study. When exposed to the laser, the cells that form the milia 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 disorders (thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, etc. );
- infectious and inflammatory processes of the skin at the local site of growth;
- acute illness or exacerbation of chronic illness;
- recent long exposure to the sun or going to the solarium (2 weeks will have passed from the time you were tanned);
- 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 types of papillomas can be removed with a laser?
Is laser papilloma removal dangerous, only after examining the patient will the doctor answer. Almost all types of warts can be removed using laser ablation.
Laser therapy is indicated for the following types of milia formation:
- impolite;
- apartment;
- thorn;
- plane;
- thread-like;
- on a skinny leg.
A contraindication to the use of laser therapy is the suspicion that pathological degeneration of the tissues has occurred and the need for cytological examination. In this case, the removal is done in a different way, thus preserving the biological material for analysis.
Machines
There are several types of devices for removing papillomas:
- Contour TRL (Adjustable Laser Resurfacing). 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.
- Sciton is embedded in the laser platform. New technology has the ability to warm the deep layers of the epidermis well, remove skin cells changed by papillomavirus. In addition to removing warts, the device is also used for cosmetic procedures.
- SmartXide DOT (Italy). It has a sparing effect on the epidermis and is used not only to remove milia, but also to rejuvenate the skin (while the process of "removal" of the upper layer of the keratinized epithelium occurs).
Doctors qualitatively remove papillomas with any of the described devices, using a laser beam instead of a surgical knife.
Laser ablation is considered one of the less traumatic methods of wart removal. However, although the procedure is safe, it is important 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 clinic's profile (providing additional cosmetic services) and the facility's financial capabilities (devices vary in cost).
Prepare for the procedure
Laser papilloma removal requires no specialized training. But before you do the procedure, you should:
- Identification of HPV strains. Some papillomaviruses cause dangerous cancers.
- Show your dermatologist the appearance of a milia. This is important when the color or shape of the papilloma changes. If a cancerous process is suspected, a cytological examination is required, which cannot be done after laser removal.
On the day of the procedure, you need to wash the site of the wart and not drink alcohol.
How is laser removal done?
Laser destruction can be divided into several stages according to the condition:
- skin surface antiseptic treatment;
- local anesthetic injection (if necessary);
- The laser vaporizes layers of papillomas.
Skin tumors are removed in a short time (from a few seconds to a few minutes) and usually do not require re-treatment.
Some treatments may be needed only if the tumor is large. In this case, in order to reduce trauma to the epithelium, a layer-by-layer removal of the wart is carried out for several days.
How to treat the wound after removing the papilloma
To avoid complications after papillomatosis removal, doctors recommend the following:
- What to handle. It is necessary to use a wound-healing ointment or gel and to wipe the wound after surgery with a weak solution of manganese or calendula tincture. With a low degree of cell regeneration, it is important to consult a dermatologist about the post-surgery surface treatment to avoid scarring.
- What not to do after the procedure. It is strictly forbidden to peel off the crust formed at the site of excision or to injure the wound. The scab will fall off on its own after the regeneration process is complete, and to avoid damage when rubbing against clothing, you should glue the pimple with an antibacterial putty. But you don't need to constantly walk around with the plaster on - the wound needs access to air to heal completely.
After laser papillomatosis, care is easy: you just need to not damage the wound surface and regularly treat it with healing agents. Given the risk of complications associated with scar formation, doctors make special recommendations about how to care for the wound after the procedure.
Recovery period
Despite the fact that the recovery time after laser excision is short, it is important to follow all of your doctor's recommendations after laser papilloma removal.
As a rule, the healing of the laser-treated skin surface takes place a 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 off the crust that has formed.
In most patients, these scabs disappear in 7-10 days, and with destruction of large milia formations, it may take longer. After the peel is removed, a smooth pink cuticle is visible at the site of the peel, which gradually becomes normal in color.
Is laser papilloma removal painful?
Most patients are afraid of pain, confidence in the absence of pain is important for psychological well-being. The following can be said about laser therapy:
- only heat is felt in the place of the laser's impact;
- Suspected patients or those with hypersensitive skin will be removed by laser under local anesthesia.
The removal time is short (maximum - a few minutes), and you will feel only slight discomfort in the area where the acne has been removed, which will disappear in the first days after destruction.
How much does the service cost at the clinic?
The cost of papilloma removal depends on the following factors:
- the clinic's reputation;
- on which part of the body the warts are (for the face and genitals a "special approach" is required);
- size, as well as other factors.