How to remove warts | Lifestyle | Showcase
Among skin diseases, warts can attract attention if they are very noticeable. Although in most cases they are harmless, depending on their origin they can be irritating or cause aesthetic problems, leaving victims wondering how to eliminate them.
What are warts and why do they form?
Adrian Gonzalez, director of the El Pilar Medical Center, explains to EL PAÍS Escaparate that warts can form for several reasons: “There are cases when They appear due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). and sometimes due to hormonal problems. Warts, for example, are excess skin that protrudes outward. Because they are not all the same, they must be examined using a dermatoscope, a medical instrument with light and magnification that allows a better look at their appearance.”
In this way, it can be determined whether it is an ordinary wart and can be removed without serious problems or, as is the case in some cases, a biopsy is necessary: “A small piece is removed with a scalpel and examined in the laboratory, since it may give indications of possible carcinogenic development.” .
Regarding the transmission of the virus, Dr. Trinidad Montero, specialist in dermatology at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, explains that “Common warts caused by a virus are contagious. Therefore, they can be transmitted from one person to another if we come into contact with the skin of an infected person who has it or touch an object contaminated with the virus.”
Warts on the neck, hands or face: which places are more susceptible to this disease?
As for the parts of the body in which they appear most often, Adrian Gonzalez notes that, as a rule, “older people have more on the back, chest or neck” Those that form in the neck, “known as Milium, “They are harmless, do not ooze, and may be due to hormonal issues.”
In any case, the El Pilar Medical Center remembers that “if we notice that the wart has acquired a strange color, a different shape, or has changed its general appearance, it is important to contact a dermatologist for an evaluation.”
How are warts removed?
“There is really no specific treatment for warts,” explains dermatologist Trinidad Montero. “The procedures we carry out are aimed at physically eliminating cells that have been damaged. Thus, the ultimate goal is to eliminate the affected cells while maintaining healthy skin. And there are times when you need to be very persistent in treatment because the virus is very resistant.”
During the consultation, as Adrian Gonzalez explains, one of the most common procedures is remove warts with a laser machine. “The local anesthetic lidocaine is first applied to the area. This must be done by medical personnel and then the laser can be used.”
Another system is to use “plasma pen or flexia, which burns—in medical terms, cauterizes—this wart. The patient is not in pain because the area is anesthetized and a scab appears, which naturally falls off and heals. Once the scab falls off, the wart will be completely removed.”
The specialist recalls that after removal, “it is very important that the sun does not shine on us, because the skin is very sensitive, and ultraviolet rays can cause the mark to remain.” Therefore, during the summer months, July and August, this type of treatment is not carried out. And at any other time, It is very important to protect yourself from the sun and use photoprotective creams.” Additionally, “in case of exposure to direct sunlight, we recommend the use of adhesive patches to ensure maximum sun protection and avoid solar radiation.”
Gonzalez also points out that if you’re in a hurry to make a scab go away, “you can use salt water to make it heal faster” or creams such as “Cicaplast, “They help with healing and help the wart scabs fall off faster.” To clean the affected areas, you can use a “neutral pH soap, which keeps them clean and free of infection.”
Taking this into account, at EL PAÍS we have selected some products that are available for purchase. Online and they can be helpful in the wart removal process:
- Products that promote healing:
Cicaplast Baume B5+, La Roche Posay
Therapeutic and protective silicone patches.
Silicone dressings Mepiform
- Gels that take into account skin pH:
Gel with antiseptics, ISDIN
Dermatological gel Genove
- Products for protecting areas from the sun:
Ultra-protective sunscreen Rilastil.
Photoprotector Fusion liquid SPF 50+, Isdin
Sunscreen face cream SPF 50, Heliocare.
Topical products sold to remove warts
There are several topical product options on the market that promise to eliminate warts, but are they medically reliable? Dr. Trinidad Montero states that “the ideal option before starting treatment is get diagnosed by a professional to be sure that it is a benign wart and not a fibroid, carcinoma, etc.”
If, having been diagnosed by a dermatologist, we begin to use them, we must be “prudent to Apply it only to the area of the wart and protect the surrounding area.“, the dermatologist points out. “These products typically include applicators to make the job easier, but we can also protect the surrounding skin by applying petroleum jelly or directly covering it.”
Dr. Montero notes that of the options on the market, “some may be helpful and others may not. Ideally, they should have in their formula keratolytic ingredients for example, salicylic acid, in a concentration of 20 to 24%. In smaller quantities they will not be very useful.”
Here are some examples of topical treatments for warts:
When to go to the doctor
There is a small guide to the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona Online To determine which symptoms are associated with warts, we should see a dermatologist rather than treating them at home. The details are as follows:
- When bleeding occurs, suppuration or constant pain occurs.
- When the wart is dark (brown or black).
- When a wart is found on areas of thin or delicate skin, such as the face or genitals.
- When the wart is very large or very numerous.
- When a topical treatment was tried and the problem did not go away after two months of use.
*All purchase prices included in this article are correct as of February 15, 2024.
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