Removing warts at home: a review of drugs

04/26/2018 I was prompted to write this article by an overwhelming number of questions like: “Can I remove warts at home using various solutions?”

Today I will do a short review of wart removal products and together we will try to figure out how safe and effective such methods are. We will also look at what evidence of effectiveness there is for certain substances.

Flat wart on index finger

Review of wart removal products: composition

I will not write the trade names of the drugs, I will simply list the active ingredients often found in their compositions and their properties.

1. Phenol, also known as carbolic acid

Here and further I will provide screenshots describing the properties of substances from Wikipedia.

Can phenol be used to remove warts?

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Please don’t think that I’m trying to shock you with words about toxicity, not at all. Of course, “the dose makes the poison.” However, I would like to note that there are no “natural/folk/gentle/soft” substances in the composition of the products. This substance simply burns the formation on the skin, i.e. causes a chemical burn.

2. Alkalis: sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda, also known as sodium hydroxide; potassium hydroxide (KOH), potassium hydroxide

Can alkalis be used to remove warts?

3. Lapis, lapis pencil, also known as silver nitrate (AgNO3)

Can a lapis pencil (lapis) be used to remove warts?

4. Acetic acid

Can vinegar be used to remove warts?

5. Nitric acid (HNO3)

Can nitric acid be used to remove warts?

6. Any herbal ingredients

As much as we might like it, plants like jarutka, aspen, ivy, sundew, and celandine have NOT been proven effective in treating warts. I urge you not to trust stories like: “My grandmother’s aunt applied celandine to a wart, and everything went away.”

Are products with herbal ingredients effective in treating warts?

7. Salicylic acid (proven to be effective)

Perhaps the most harmless substance among these. The instructions for use note that it “suppresses the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands. In low concentrations it has a keratoplastic effect, and in high concentrations it has a keratolytic effect.” There are studies that confirm the effectiveness of this substance specifically in the treatment of warts [1], [2].

Please wait, run to the pharmacy for salicylic acid to finally get rid of “these terrible warts” - first read the article.

8. A mixture of propane and dimethyl ether (proven effectiveness)

The names of drugs usually include the prefix cryo.

A few studies of this method [3] have shown that its effectiveness in treating warts is comparable to liquid nitrogen. These substances cool the skin wart to a temperature that causes necrosis of the neoplasm.

9. Ointment with imiquimod (effectiveness proven)

In a literature review, which you can view here [4], the authors claim that imiquimod is effectively used in the treatment of simple and recurrent warts. At the same time, larger studies are needed to clarify how to use it most effectively.

What happens if a wart is not removed in time?

How to remove a wart - methods:

• Liquid nitrogen (cryodestruction). The growth is frozen using low temperatures. When using this method, the recurrence of the disease is practically eliminated. After the procedure, the wart becomes pale, then changes color to red, after which it completely dies and falls off.
• Laser. This method is suitable for removing tumors anywhere. As a rule, one procedure is enough to remove the growth. After the operation there are no traces left and no bleeding. The wart is destroyed under the action of a laser beam.
• Radio wave removal. It is performed under local anesthesia. The operation is performed using a special knife that emits waves. They are the ones who have a detrimental effect on the tumor. The process itself lasts approximately thirty minutes. It is considered the safest method of therapy, does not cause side effects, no scars appear after removal, and there is no bleeding.
• Removal with an electrocoagulator. A special advantage of this technique is that you can get rid of several formations at once. In addition, the surgical intervention can be performed on the same day when the patient consults a specialist. The wart is removed under anesthesia using a special electrode. Its temperature reaches eighty degrees Celsius. The process itself lasts about a minute, after which the person can safely go home.

Which method is best is decided based on the diagnostic results and the patient’s condition. After any intervention, the wart is sent for examination to determine the possible presence of oncology.

The problem of self-diagnosis of skin tumors

From the previous section it is clear that drugs for the treatment of warts are divided into 3 groups:

1. Acids, alkalis and other toxic substances.
2. Substances of plant origin that are written in the composition are most likely a distraction.
3. Drugs with proven effectiveness in the treatment of warts.

There are drugs with proven effectiveness in the treatment of warts. What is the problem?

-So what's the problem? - you ask. -We go to the pharmacy, buy the right drug and treat our warts without any doctors there.

“The problem is that you don’t know whether you have a wart or not,” I will answer.

The main difficulty lies in the wording of the question itself. The question you need to ask is not “how to effectively remove warts at home?”

A much better question would be: “How do I know that I have a wart and not skin cancer or melanoma?”

Repeatedly, patients came to see me and called pigmented nevi warts or papillomas. It is quite obvious to me that in most cases a person without specialized education will not be able to distinguish melanoma or skin cancer from a wart.

In the “indications” section for all these drugs it is written “warts, less often keratomas”. Some particularly daring authors also add moles to this pile. The manufacturer of the drug believes that the patient himself is able to make the correct diagnosis. My experience suggests that without a histological examination, even a doctor cannot always accurately determine the nature of a skin tumor by eye.

In the photo - the author with a dermatoscope

Symptoms and types of warts on the foot

A plantar wart appears as a callus-like thickening with a stratum corneum layer of skin. It interferes with walking and causes pain. The passive state is characterized by slow reproduction, not reaching the stratum corneum of the epithelium, so this condition does not manifest itself externally.

The active state is characterized by the fact that the virus develops rapidly and, rising to the upper layers of the epidermis, manifests itself in numerous symptoms. The plantar wart is also called the spinous wart, chicken wart. The virus enters during its contact with the skin through cuts and abrasions in the outer layer of the skin:

1. First, a small yellowish-gray papule with an uneven surface appears.
2. Gradually, the small element becomes dense and acquires a dirty color.

From the inside, a plantar wart looks like fused papillae of different sizes with a pinkish tint. Additional capillary vessels form there, causing bleeding if you catch a wart.

What should I do? To remove or not to remove warts at home?

I understand perfectly well that with this article I cannot prevent the sale of such drugs without a prescription, that is, without a doctor’s examination. In general, I am not against removing warts using these methods, but one extremely important condition must be met.

You can burn a wart with anything, under any conditions, but only after an in-person examination by an oncologist or dermatologist, optimally with dermatoscopy. The fact that you have a wart on your skin, and not melanoma or cancer, must be confirmed by a specialized specialist. If there is the slightest doubt about the diagnosis, the wart should be removed with histological examination.

Types and reasons

Warts are:

There are a lot of varieties of warts; they are classified according to a number of characteristics:

1. Simple. They occur on exposed parts of the body, arms, legs, face, and scalp. They are usually not dangerous, but they are not aesthetically pleasing and can multiply quickly, affecting large areas of the skin. They are arranged as if in “families”.
2. Plantar. Their localization is exclusively on the feet. Causes discomfort when walking.

The main cause is infection with the human papillomavirus, which affects the mucous membranes and skin.

Bibliography:

1) Cockayne S, Hewitt C, Hicks K, Jayakody S, Kang'ombe AR, Stamuli E, Turner G, Thomas K, Curran M, Denby G, Hashmi F, McIntosh C, McLarnon N, Torgerson D, Watt I; EVerT Team. Cryotherapy versus salicylic acid for the treatment of plantar warts (verrucae): a randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2011 Jun 7; 342:d3271. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d3271.

2) Dall'oglio F, D'Amico V, Nasca MR, Micali G. Treatment of cutaneous warts: an evidence-based review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2012 Apr 1; 13(2): 73-96. doi: 10.2165/11594610-000000000-00000.

3) Nguyen NV, Burkhart CG. Cryosurgical treatment of warts: dimethyl ether and propane versus liquid nitrogen – case report and review of the literature. J Drugs Dermatol. Oct 2011; 10(10): 1174-6.

4) Ahn CS, Huang WW. Imiquimod in the treatment of cutaneous warts: an evidence-based review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2014 Oct; 15(5): 387-99. doi:10.1007/s40257-014-0093-5.

Therapeutic baths

If warts form in large numbers and cover different parts of the body, medicinal baths will come to the rescue. Such procedures can be carried out in the following ways:

1. Pour boiling water over chestnut leaves (½ bucket) and leave for 12 hours. Then strain the mixture, add the resulting liquid to a bathtub filled with warm water and completely immerse yourself in it. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes. You should take this bath at least 7 times with an interval of 1-2 days.
2. Take a full bath of warm water, dissolve 300 g of magnesia powder in it, and immerse yourself in the liquid. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes. It is recommended to take magnesium baths 1-2 times a week until the skin condition improves.

Hot medicinal baths should not be taken if there is an elevated body temperature or diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Why you need to get rid of tumors

The content of the article

Moles, papillomas, polyps, warts and other neoplasms not only look unsightly, but also cause inconvenience - they become injured, bleed, become inflamed, hurt, grow and fester. Erosion of the cervix, which causes contact bleeding, heavy discharge and provokes inflammatory processes, is no less troublesome. But the most dangerous thing is the degeneration of these formations into cancer, so you need to get rid of pathological formations.

Diagnostics

The differential diagnosis is based on the clinical picture of the specific type of neoplasm, as well as on the study of the anamnesis. The size of the papule, the rate at which it increases in size, the number of formations and other factors are taken into account.

To make a final diagnosis, the patient may be referred for histological examination.

If the appearance of warts is planned to be excluded using destructive methods, it is first important to be tested for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.

Causes of warts

A question that worries even those who have not encountered this: why do warts appear? The main method of infection is contact. If you come into contact with a person who already has HPV in their body, there is a high probability that it will be transmitted to you, especially if there are associated factors. The main method of transmission is through handshakes. You can also become infected through common household items, such as bed linen, towels, slippers, etc. There is a high risk of catching the virus in public places - in swimming pools, baths, gyms, etc.

The risk of contracting warts increases under the influence of various unfavorable factors

:

1. There are small injured areas on the arms and legs. People who do physical labor at work are at risk. It is extremely difficult for such employees to keep their hands from injury while performing work tasks. Cracks, scratches, and cuts appear on the hands, through which HPV can easily penetrate.
2. Decreased protective immune functions of the body. You can determine the problem yourself. Just keep track of how often you get colds throughout the year. An indicator of 4 times or more should cause concern.
3. Violent sweating in the hands and feet.

These factors make it easier for the papilloma virus to enter the patient’s body and cause the appearance of warts. The infection is characterized by a long incubation period - the first rash in some cases appears only 1.5 months after infection.