Distinctive features
Before you begin treatment, you need to understand what plantar warts look like.
Laser removal of these formations is carried out only after examination. Externally, plantar warts look like a circle or oval with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Moreover, they are slightly convex, protruding only 1-2 mm above the surface of the skin. In most cases, the color of the new formations is the same as that of the surface of the foot. Only some may have a pale brown or pink tint.
Fresh warts have a smooth surface. But over time, they grow and become covered with layers of epidermis. The skin on their surface becomes rough, rough and acquires a yellow-gray color. Sometimes black and brown dots appear on them. They arise due to thrombosis of capillaries located near the surface of the skin. Some people have a depression in the center of the wart that looks like a crater.
Most patients who encounter this problem experience only one formation. But with weakened immunity, the virus becomes more active. As a result, a large number of daughter warts may appear on the soles of the feet. Because of them, a mosaic pattern is formed on the foot.
How to burn a wart with a laser
Burning out warts with a laser does not require any special preparation for the patient. Typically, removal is performed on the day the patient visits the clinic.
Before burning, the treatment area is disinfected. Local anesthesia is administered to help prevent pain.
The patient is positioned on the couch in a position convenient for the upcoming event. The doctor prepares the laser device for use - adjusts the equipment (beam length, impact force).
Removal is carried out with a device with a pulse tip. The doctor assesses the depth of the growth, after which he removes the tissue layer by layer with short-term exposure. Not only the body of the wart is processed, but also nearby healthy tissue. It is necessary to eliminate the possibility of reoccurrence of the growth. A deep-lying formation (like a spine) must be burned out until the epidermis is cleared. Externally, the wound after excision looks like a funnel. If the element is located above the surface of the skin, it is cut off under the stem.
After completely cleaning the skin from the root of the formation, the doctor disinfects the wound with a special solution and applies a sterile bandage.
The time spent on the operation depends on the size of the wart, the depth of its germination, and the number of formations.
Diagnosis of the disease
Before removing a plantar wart with a laser, it is necessary to accurately establish the diagnosis.
After all, outwardly these formations look like calluses. Only a dermatologist can distinguish them using dermatoscopy. In some cases, the stratum corneum is scraped off and sent for PCR diagnostics. This examination makes it possible to detect the papilloma virus in the skin layers. You can suspect that a person has a plantar wart by the absence of a skin pattern on its surface. Also a characteristic feature of these formations are points from thrombosed capillaries. If they are present, then the doctor can distinguish plantar warts even without PCR diagnostics. Laser removal is best done after an ultrasound. With the help of this study, it is possible to determine to what depth the root of the neoplasm has grown.
People with plantar warts often complain of discomfort and pain when walking.
Indications and contraindications
Most people think that a wart on the sole is a minor problem that does not require special attention. But this neoplasm affects the epithelium and causes its growth. The culprit of the process is the human papillomavirus. All affected cells carry this infection. Therefore, removing warts is a medical necessity.
The neoplasm differs in that it grows deep into the epidermis. Because of this, with large growth, a person feels pain when moving. The pain syndrome appears due to the fact that the growth puts pressure on the nerve endings, pinching them.
If warts are not removed, then new growths will periodically appear on the body, which will bring a lot of problems to the patient.
But the most dangerous consequence of ignoring pathology is the transformation of epithelial tissue into callus. It causes severe pain when walking. A patient with such a complication is considered disabled.
To avoid the development of negative consequences, you need to immediately contact a dermatologist: he will conduct the necessary studies and prescribe treatment. Laser removal is most often used.
It is used in cases where the tumor grows greatly and bothers the person with pain. If the wart is at the callus stage, then there is no need to use a laser.
The method has its disadvantages. The operation is not recommended for people with the following pathologies:
- Hypertension.
- Herpes in the acute stage.
- Infectious diseases.
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Malignant neoplasms.
- Diabetes mellitus.
Laser removal is also not recommended for women carrying a child. The attending physician must be aware of all the pathologies that the patient is currently suffering from. Among them there may be violations that are contraindications to surgery.
Methods of disposal
Modern medicine offers several fairly effective ways to completely remove plantar warts. Laser removal is considered one of the most progressive methods.
You can also get rid of tumors using electrocoagulation. True, this method is only suitable for removing only fresh, ungrown warts. BUT it is practically not used, because it leaves scars and scars.
Cryodestruction is considered the most effective and cheapest method of getting rid of emerging growths. But the effectiveness of the procedure largely depends on the experience of the doctor.
You can prevent the spread of the virus and its entry into the bloodstream if you use the radio wave method. It allows you not only to get rid of the wart, but also to cauterize the blood vessels, thereby preventing the risk of bleeding.
How the method works
There are many effective ways to remove growths. For this purpose, freezing with liquid nitrogen, electrocoagulation, classical surgery and even pharmaceutical preparations for topical use at home are used. But this method of combating pathological formations, such as laser removal of skin warts, is the most popular.
In most cases, the basic principle of the procedure is to evaporate moisture from warts, which are 75% water. In this case, various infrared laser systems can be used to remove the growth. The most modern of them are:
- CO2 laser. It has a long wavelength, about 10600 mn. Thanks to this, the device can easily and reliably remove deep warts. But after treating flat growths, small scars may remain;
- Erbium laser. The wavelength is 2940 mn. Rarely results in scarring after exposure;
- Pulsed laser, dye-based. The beam of this device does not evaporate the moisture in the warts, but destroys the capillaries of the growth, acting selectively on oxyhemoglobin. Also, the method is practically painless and rarely leads to scars.
Laser burning is the most effective method of combating flat and plantar warts. But due to the pain, local anesthesia is used for such procedures.
Preparation for the procedure
Preparation for the laser wart removal procedure does not involve any special measures. However, you should limit contact of the affected area with direct sunlight and, if possible, minimize the amount of medications used.
At least 3 days before the procedure and always after it, it is recommended to take immunomodulatory drugs. They are a kind of prevention of HPV activation and help the immune system more actively fight the infection.
It is recommended for women to remove warts with a laser after the end of menstrual bleeding, since during menstruation the immune system weakens somewhat.
Benefits of laser therapy
You can forget about pain and discomfort when walking and prevent possible relapses of the disease if you choose the right treatment tactics.
Removing plantar warts with a laser allows the patient to recover quickly, and there are no traces left from such an operation. The advantages of this method include:
— speed of the operation;
- rapid healing;
- absence of scars and cicatrices;
— the ability to regulate the depth of exposure;
— performing the operation under local anesthesia.
After such removal, a person does not need special care. After all, the beam simultaneously cauterizes and disinfects the tissue that surrounded the plantar warts. Laser removal is performed only once. Relapses, as a rule, do not occur.
Rehabilitation after laser removal
The healing of the skin area affected by the wart directly depends on the procedure performed. The high-tech laser is completely sterile (bactericidal). It acts on the skin and does not cause inflammation - for this reason, there are no scars or noticeable scars left on the body. The causative agent of bacteria or viruses is completely destroyed in the laser-treated area. Immediately after the procedure, slight discomfort may be felt under the bandage, which soon goes away.
The skin is completely restored within 2 weeks (up to a month in people with weakened immune systems). A hard crust forms on the treated area: healing occurs underneath it. Once the underlying skin has healed, the scab will fall off without further damage.
The crust lasts for about 10 days and does not cause any discomfort in humans. New skin appears in the third week after the procedure.
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Carrying out the procedure
Before you decide to remove a plantar wart with a laser, you need to be examined.
You can begin the procedure only after confirming that you do not have malignant tumors. Before removing the wart, the doctor will administer an anesthetic. As soon as it begins to act, you can begin treatment. A laser beam is directed to the problem area, which evaporates the tissue affected by the virus layer by layer. This is a non-contact method, so there is no chance of infection with any other diseases.
Many doctors recommend laser removal of plantar warts for children. After all, this is considered one of the safest and most effective methods.
After the procedure, the surface is additionally treated with an antiseptic. If necessary, a bandage is applied to speed up the healing process.
Indications for use
Laser wart removal is performed for patients of almost any age. The main indications for laser therapy are:
- Change in color, shape, texture or size of the formation;
- The location of the wart in an area of frequent friction or fogging of the skin;
- Mechanical or chemical damage to the growth;
- The appearance of bleeding or other discharge from the wart;
- Risk of growth of pathological formations.
Also, the indication for the use of laser destruction of warts is aesthetic or physical discomfort. But doctors often do not recommend burning off warts that do not cause any discomfort. This is associated with the risk of relapses and an increase in the number of growths. And in order to prevent the development of tumors in potentially dangerous papillomas, after cauterization, part of the growth tissue is taken for analysis of tumor markers.
Types of laser systems
Cosmetology clinics may have different equipment installed. Erbium laser, carbon dioxide laser, or dye laser can be used to remove warts. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Erbium laser is more gentle. It gradually removes the epidermal layer without affecting the surrounding healthy tissue. The possibility of thermal burns or hyperpigmentation of surrounding tissues is eliminated due to the fact that the beam pulse is low-energy. But it is not suitable for the treatment of plantar warts.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is also called carbon dioxide laser. It burns virus-infected tissue using infrared radiation. This method is used in cases where maximum impact is necessary. Stimulates tissue coagulation.
When affected tissue is exposed to a dye laser, the temperature in the blood vessels rises sharply. This leads to dystrophic changes, as a result of which blood flow to the wart stops. The top layers of skin that are exposed begin to peel off and are removed.
The last two devices make it possible to most effectively remove plantar warts with a laser. Reviews confirm that recovery is fast.
Laser, electrocoagulation or cryodestruction
The main modern methods of removing warts are laser exposure, electrocoagulation and freezing with liquid nitrogen. All these methods have their advantages and disadvantages, which sometimes coincide. However, when assessing the effectiveness of methods to combat papillomas, it becomes clear that:
- Laser removal ensures safety from concomitant infection and removal of warts of any size in one session. However, the procedure involves a long healing period and high cost;
- Electrocoagulation is effective in eliminating small growths. Larger warts may require several burning sessions. There is a risk of wound infection. The method is the cheapest and is excellent for removing moles.
- Freezing with liquid nitrogen is suitable for papillomas of medium and small size with clear contours. Large growths are not completely removed, which often leads to relapses. This happens because it is almost impossible to regulate the depth of exposure to cold. The duration of the procedure is no more than 5 minutes.
Each method is accompanied by painful sensations and therefore requires local anesthesia.
Treatment of young patients
Sometimes plantar warts also appear in children.
They cause them pain and discomfort. Even if it seems to you that there is nothing wrong with your child’s feet, it is better to show him to a dermatologist. Laser removal of plantar warts in children can be performed under local anesthesia. But a doctor must refer you for this procedure. After its completion, it is advisable to apply a bandage to the treated area.
Parents should know that there will be a small depression at the site of the wart; it will become covered with a crust. It is important to ensure that the child does not try to remove it himself. After all, this is how you can get an infection. After a few days, the crust will dry out and fall off on its own. It is better to protect yourself and your baby and cover the wound with a bactericidal bandage.
Postoperative care
During wart removal, the laser vaporizes cells in the problem area.
The rest of the skin is not damaged. In addition, it disinfects the surface and cauterizes the tissue. Thanks to this, no special care for the surface of the feet is required. You should not constantly touch the treatment site; plantar warts do not appear again after laser removal. But it is quite possible to get an infection into the wound. At first, there will be a thin crust at the site of the growth, after which the skin will begin to peel off. There is no need to steam it, smear it or otherwise process it.
It is also worth limiting the load on your legs. It is advisable to walk less and temporarily stop playing sports. In addition, doctors advise minimizing contact with water. It is clear that you will not be able to give up showering for the entire recovery period. But the duration of water procedures should be minimized and try to wet the place where the plantar warts were as little as possible.
Although laser removal is the most progressive method, after the procedure the patient is forced to temporarily change his lifestyle. If you wet the area where the wart was, do not wipe it with a towel. Better dry it with a hairdryer.
Photos before and after
1) Laser removal of a spine on the hand.
Photos before and after removal
2) Laser removal of papillomas on the face.
Photos before and after removal
3) Laser removal of papillomas on the neck.
Photos before and after removal
During pregnancy
Can. But with a caveat: if you use a laser to remove papillomas and genital warts in intimate places. That is, where they will pose a danger to the child during childbirth.
In other parts of the body, you can wait until childbirth.
Consequences:
- Relapse – occurs due to incomplete treatment of the skin with a laser beam when papilloma cells remain.
- A scar on the skin is formed due to excessively deep treatment of the skin with a laser beam.
- Keloid scar is formed due to the individual characteristics of the patient’s skin.
Contraindications
Laser removal of plantar warts is not suitable for everyone. Experts identify a number of contraindications in which the procedure will have to be abandoned. So, it should not be done to people suffering from:
- diabetes mellitus;
— oncological diseases;
- epilepsy;
— immunodeficiency virus;
- connective tissue diseases.
Temporary restrictions include various colds, herpetic diseases in the acute stage, and high blood pressure. The issue of wart removal for pregnant women should be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Contraindications and possible consequences
Despite the versatility of the laser method, not all patients can undergo the procedure. Contraindications exist for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes, renal or liver failure, severe respiratory diseases and oncological processes. Laser treatment is postponed during pregnancy or during exacerbation of viral diseases that are accompanied by fever. Such therapy is not recommended in the presence of purulent rashes and inflammatory processes on the skin.
Mistakes during surgery often carry the threat of further unpleasant consequences. If removed incorrectly, if the root of the growth is not completely destroyed, there is a risk of re-formation of the wart. If you use the device inappropriately, there is a risk of tissue burns. The procedure must be carried out in clinics under the supervision of an experienced doctor. You should not trust such procedures to cosmetologists. It is necessary to take into account that suppuration of the wound due to insufficient care will lead to complications, one of which is a repeat operation.
Laser removal of papillomas, condylomas, and warts is recognized as one of the effective methods in the treatment of HPV. In order for the procedure to bring the most positive result, you must contact a qualified specialist and strictly follow his further recommendations.
The article has been reviewed by the site editors
Patient opinions
If you are afraid and can’t decide to remove plantar warts with a laser, reviews and photos of people who have already undergone this procedure will help you get in the right frame of mind.
Most patients confirm that the process itself is painless thanks to anesthesia. But many complain that the pain occurs at home. Doctors will usually prescribe painkillers, which can help provide some relief. But discomfort is observed in most patients for no longer than one day. If you follow the regime and limit the load on the problematic leg, recovery occurs quite quickly.
Many people get scared when they see a depression in the place of plantar warts. But that's how it should be. Over time, it heals and the surface of the skin becomes even. No matter how scary it may be, you should not postpone the procedure. It’s better to do it and forget forever about the pain and inconvenience that a plantar wart causes you.
Flaws
There are few disadvantages to laser removal of warts, and they arise more often due to unprofessional actions of the doctor or in case of errors during wound care after the procedure.
If the device and its settings are incorrectly selected, the wart may not be completely removed, or the tissue may be burned too deeply. An incompletely removed growth can trigger the activation of HPV and lead to the proliferation of papillomas and an increase in their number. The consequence of too deep or wide laser exposure is burns of healthy tissues and the appearance of scars.
If you do not properly care for the damaged area of skin, the wound may become infected. So if the crust was damaged or removed, and no disinfection was carried out, then the chance of infection getting into the wound increases significantly. As a result, the damaged area may swell and fester.
Although the procedure itself is easily tolerated, largely thanks to anesthesia, during the healing process after burning out the growth, it often becomes painful and swelling appears. In this case, the wound will heal no earlier than after 1.5 weeks.
Also, the disadvantages of the method include its high cost. The price for wart removal depends on the size of the growth and the equipment used. Usually the procedure costs from 650 rubles. for formations up to 0.25 cm in size. Removing large warts will cost from 1,300 rubles. for 1 piece.
