The spine on the finger is a multi-layered benign formation with thread-like papillary roots extending deep into the epidermis. It is viral in origin and affects areas of the body that are subject to the greatest friction and pressure. Often this is the palm, sole of the feet. The growth causes severe acute pain and tends to multiply when favorable conditions arise. Getting rid of it is possible in different ways: surgical, medicinal, folk remedies.
Definition of the concept
Doctors call a thorn a pathological formation (growth) on the skin, a type of wart. The pathology is provoked by human papillomavirus infection .
The spine looks like a heterogeneous nipple or nodule on the skin. It is most often observed on the feet, in the heel or big toe area. The formation can also occur on the hand:
- near the nail;
- on the pad of the finger;
- on the side of the finger.
When pressing on the growth, a painful sensation occurs . With a spine, damage to the deep layers of the epidermis is observed. Muscle tissue may also suffer from pathology.
Ignoring the problem threatens to worsen the condition and quickly damage nearby skin areas.
If a pathological formation is detected on your hand, you should seek medical help and undergo treatment prescribed by a specialist.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you find a thorn on your leg, you need to consult a dermatologist. The doctor will recommend the best method for getting rid of the skin growth. Sometimes an additional consultation with an immunologist is required. If there are problems with immunity, the doctor will suggest ways to improve it.
You should not self-medicate. The doctor will examine the tumor under a microscope and clarify its nature. If a wart degenerates, the person requires emergency medical care and serious medications.
Author of the article:
Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich |
Orthopedist Education: diploma in General Medicine received in 2009 at the Medical Academy named after. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012, she completed postgraduate studies in the specialty “Traumatology and Orthopedics” at the City Clinical Hospital named after. Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery. Our authors
What causes pathology on the thumb and other fingers?
Infection with the papilloma virus leads to the appearance of a painful growth on the arm . Having penetrated the body, it causes damage to the skin.
The duration of the incubation period of human papillomavirus infection ranges from 30 days to 6 months. After this period, the process of reproduction of skin cells is activated, which results in the appearance of warts on the human body.
Reference . The papilloma virus becomes active when immunity decreases, which is provoked by stress, colds, and chronic diseases.
In the list of factors that increase the likelihood of developing pathology, you can see:
- minor damage to the skin such as wounds, scratches, abrasions;
- stressful situations;
- receiving psychological trauma;
- the presence of chronic skin diseases;
- severe hypothermia;
- dry skin;
- getting a chemical burn;
- tendency to excessive sweating of hands;
- previous diseases that caused weakened immunity;
- immunodeficiency conditions, in particular HIV.
How to remove a splint on a foot? Therapy methods
There are several options for how to remove a spine. First of all, you should consult a doctor and get medical help. Doctors offer several instrumental methods for removing the spine.
Electrocoagulation
This method is very simple and not time-consuming. Typically, patients only need one procedure, during which the doctor can remove several small warts at once. Typically, one session of electrocoagulation takes only 1-1.5 minutes. The time required depends on the size of the warts and their total number. Local anesthesia is used to remove plantar warts.
Before the procedure begins, the doctor treats the skin with antiseptics. After this, an electrocoagulator loop is placed around the spine, due to which the device thermally treats the tissue and leads to the death of the wart. The temperature at which tissue is cauterized is 800 °C. This temperature also cauterizes blood vessels, which helps protect a person from bleeding. After the session, a crust forms on the skin, which falls off when the tissue is completely healed.
Photo: How to remove a splint on a foot
Laser removal of plantar warts
Before the procedure begins, patients must be examined. This allows you to understand how deep the wart is in the skin. In the absence of such an examination, removal may be ineffective. Doctors determine the depth of penetration of the antennae of the spine into the tissue and begin the procedure. Before starting the procedure, the doctor injects novocaine or lidocaine under the wart. After the patient feels that the painkiller has begun to take effect, the doctor puts on glasses and begins the session.
While working with a laser, the doctor removes pathological tissue layer by layer and at the same time cauterizes those vessels that feed the spine. Laser treatment is carried out until the root system of the wart is completely destroyed. After removing the spine with a laser, the patient is left with a small burn. This burn requires constant treatment with antiseptics. The wound itself must be covered with a dry gauze cloth and bandage. The duration of the removal session depends on the number of spines and their size.
Photo: Remove plantar wart with laser, nitrogen
Cryotherapy
This procedure involves removing the spine with liquid nitrogen. When removing spines using this method, antispasmodics are almost never used, the procedure is painless. In some cases (if the spine is large or the skin is thin), painkillers are still used. The procedure is carried out in two different ways - with a catheter or a cotton swab. The last option is used much more often.
The doctor wipes the skin with antiseptics, dips a cotton swab in liquid nitrogen and touches the spine with it. The effect on one wart should last about 5-30 seconds. The exposure time depends on the size of the wart. Longer exposure to nitrogen is required if the patient has a large and deep spine. In this case, nitrogen must penetrate all layers of the skin, right down to the root of the wart, and therefore, exposure to nitrogen can last 25-35 seconds. After the freezing process, the skin acquires a white-pink tint, which indicates the death of skin cells.
In almost 100% of cases, the day after the procedure, patients develop a medium-sized bubble. This skin reaction to low temperatures is quite normal and indicates the effectiveness of the session. Clear or reddish liquid may accumulate inside the bubble. You should not be afraid of this, since this process indicates that certain layers of the skin were affected during cryotherapy. The tip of the bladder is usually the spine itself.
Spine on the leg: surgical treatment
If no methods of removing the spine have helped, patients are advised to see a doctor to get rid of the disease and have the formation surgically removed. There are many advantages of the method:
- High probability of complete removal.
- Effective when removing especially deep spines.
- Minimal likelihood of relapse.
Local anesthesia is also used during the procedure. During the session, the doctor removes all pathological tissue and stitches the wound. However, the procedure also has disadvantages:
- After the session, scars remain.
- The healing time is longer.
- deep incisions may still hurt several days after surgery.
The choice of method by which the spine will be removed depends on the effect of past control methods. The doctor also relies on diagnostic results and general medical history.
How to distinguish from a callus?
Visually, the pathological growth resembles an ordinary callus . You can distinguish a spine from an area of rough skin caused by pressure or friction by the following signs:
- the warty formation has a root (a dark or white spot can be seen on the surface of the growth);
- pressing on the spine causes pain;
- the damaged wart bleeds;
- upon careful examination of the pathological growth, black dots inside it are visible - clogged capillaries.
When a skin growth appears on your arm, you should try to determine its nature so as not to trigger the disease. Early stages of pathology are more amenable to therapy than advanced conditions.
Important! You cannot pick or cut the spine yourself. There is a risk of the tumor degenerating into malignant.
Possible complications
The danger for the patient is the spine on the palm. It tends to grow deep into the tissues of the body and when removed, the root often remains inside and contributes to the active spread of the virus to healthy areas of the skin. As a result, there is a regular appearance of small growths that quickly grow and begin to look like large calluses.
When the first signs of papillomavirus appear, it is recommended to visit a doctor.
Spikes are not an independent condition, but the main sign of HPV infection. The patient requires complex treatment. The wrong approach causes warts to multiply. The more serious the stage of the disease, the more difficult it is to remove papillomas and find an effective medicine for local, general suppression of the activity of viral particles. Don't put off going to the dermatologist! The article has been verified by the editors
Is it contagious?
The appearance of a pathological growth on the hand is a consequence of infection with papillomavirus (strains 1, 4).
The causative agent of the disease is transmitted during household contacts, as well as sexually. The virus can live in the body for a long time without manifesting itself .
You can become infected with thorn:
- shaking the hand of a person who has a pathological formation on his palm;
- sharing the same towel, clothes, stationery with the patient;
- when visiting a swimming pool, sauna, bathhouse and places where shared towels are used.
Failure to comply with hygiene rules can lead to infection.
Removing warts quickly using cosmetic methods
Cosmetologists suggest removing warty growths on the hands using:
- freezing it with liquid nitrogen;
- laser beam (cutting out warts);
- electric current or radio waves (destruction of pathological growth).
At the initial stage of the spine, freezing with liquid nitrogen, also called cryodestruction, will help. This technique allows you to remove a wart without pain.
Electrocoagulation, laser therapy or radio wave techniques will help treat an old tumor on the palm.
In complex advanced situations, surgical intervention is recommended , during which the growth is removed along with the root with a scalpel. Surgery is required if:
- the pathological formation is large, more than 3 cm;
- there is a fear of the neoplasm degenerating into a malignant one;
- It is not possible to use other methods for eliminating warts.
After surgery, the patient will require long-term rehabilitation . A scar will remain at the site of the removed growth.
Should I delete
Spine is a benign formation that does not pose a threat to human health. Nevertheless, doctors recommend removing growths located on the hands, since the wart is often injured and exposed to household chemicals. The result of this is the development of inflammatory and purulent processes, malignant degeneration of the growth tissue.
Mandatory wart removal is also carried out if it:
- increases in size;
- changes color, shape, structure;
- causes pain, itching, burning;
- inflames, festeres, bleeds;
- causes the growth of daughter neoplasms.
Drug treatment with ointments, pencils and other medications
Removal of a pathological neoplasm on the arm can also be achieved by resorting to drug therapy. Medicines must be prescribed by a specialist.
Medicines used in the fight against thorn differ in the content of various acids in their composition. Using them, they burn out the warty growth.
Various forms of medications are used to remove spines.:
- liquid (preparations “Ferezol”, “Organika”, “Superchistotel”);
- hard in the form of a lapis pencil;
- Salicylic ointment, “Viferon” (the product is lubricated on the problem area and a bandage is applied over it);
- special patch for warts.
To achieve success in the fight against spine, therapy must be comprehensive .
Local remedies should be combined with medications that help strengthen the immune system. To destroy the papillomavirus, which provokes the appearance of warts on the body, the doctor prescribes antiviral therapy to the patient.
In such cases, the specialist prescribes medications in tablet form (“Isoprinosine”, “Viferon”, “Likopid”).
Attention! An integrated approach to the treatment of pathology, involving the simultaneous use of local agents, antiviral drugs, mineral and vitamin complexes, allows not only to eliminate an unaesthetic and painful growth from the hand, but also to effectively combat the papilloma virus that lives in the human body.
Lapis
A convenient and simple remedy for growths on the soles is a special medical pencil containing silver nitrate. It is able to cauterize spines and have a parallel bactericidal effect on tissue.
Using Lapis is very simple:
- It is soaked in cold water;
- The problematic bump on the skin is treated once or twice a day.
The product is absorbed very well, so there is no need to wash it off the epidermis.
Lapis pencil has some contraindications for use. The main one is the body's increased sensitivity to silver ions.
Among the side effects caused by the drug, skin allergies in the form of rashes are observed. Such reactions do not require action on the part of the patient and go away on their own.
Doctors do not recommend using Lapis simultaneously with drugs made from organic substances. As a result of their interaction, chemical reactions may occur, leading to the loss of effectiveness of the active substances of the medical pencil.
How to remove at home: traditional medicine recipes
Removing a thorn on the hand is also possible thanks to the so-called folk recipes. Home remedies give a positive effect only at the initial stage of the disease , while the growth is fresh and has not had time to grow to a large size.
Despite a lot of positive reviews about the use of folk recipes in the fight against thorn, doctors do not approve of self-medication at home.
If a pathological neoplasm appears on your hand, you should seek medical advice. You will need to coordinate the use of folk remedies with a specialist.
How to remove celandine?
Celandine is popularly considered an effective remedy for reducing warts .
We will use both a pharmaceutical extract of this plant and freshly squeezed juice. The product is applied to the pathological formation on the arm every other day. It will take at least 4 sessions to get rid of the wart.
The best effect in the fight against thorn is obtained by using compresses with celandine juice.
- You will need to chop the plant, pass it through a meat grinder (or use a blender).
- The resulting pulp is squeezed through gauze folded several times to express the juice.
- The resulting liquid is mixed until smooth with rendered lard in a ratio of 2:5 and placed in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
- The cooled, thickened mixture is spread on a bandage and applied to the affected area of skin, covered with polyethylene and a piece of thick fabric.
- Make a compress with celandine juice before bed, leaving it on all night. The procedure is carried out daily for 14 days. The growth will slowly die and peel off.
- At the end of the therapy, the wart will need to be tied with a thread and pulled out along with the rod.
How to remove with vinegar?
Vinegar is an effective remedy in the fight against neoplasms caused by papillomavirus.
- Use a table product with a concentration of 9%. To enhance the effect, vinegar is combined with chopped onions.
- The prepared mixture is applied to the growth overnight, covered with a bandage.
- You will need to undergo 2-3 sessions.
You can use another recipe. Vinegar is mixed with flour. The resulting cake is applied to the wart.
You can also resort to treating the spike with vinegar with a concentration of 40%. Treatment is carried out until the tumor completely disappears.
The use of vinegar has a number of contraindications . These include:
- skin sensitivity;
- bearing a fetus;
- children's age (up to 3 years);
- skin lesions;
- eczema.
How to get rid of it using garlic?
A garlic compress will help remove a wart . To do this, cut a clove of garlic and apply it to the steamed growth. The garlic is secured with a plaster and left for 8 hours.
Reference . Garlic therapy has virtually no contraindications. The exception is individual intolerance to the product.
Removal with nettles
Nettle will help reduce the thorn that appears on your hand . The leaves of the burning herb should be crushed in a blender. The resulting pulp is applied to the neoplasm. Wrap a bandage over it.
To enhance the therapeutic effect, cover the problem area of the skin with nettle pulp applied with a burdock leaf.
Getting rid of papillomavirus with kombucha
Kombucha is a strong immunostimulant .
Taking it internally will increase the body's defenses and contain the activity of the papillomavirus. In advanced forms of the pathology, hot compresses with the fungus can be used to eliminate the spine. Experts advise supplementing the main course of treatment with ingestion of a kombucha drink.
The measure will strengthen the body's protective functions and reduce the duration of drug treatment.
Verrucacid
Cauterizing pharmaceutical preparations are considered very effective medicines for spines. One of them is Verrukacid solution. It is used only externally and has pronounced necrotizing properties.
The drug contains two active substances - metacresol and phenol. They are poisonous. By destroying abnormal cells of the spine, part of the solution is absorbed into the blood and has a detrimental effect on the nervous system. Using the drug strictly in accordance with the instructions will help reduce its toxic effect.
To quickly and effectively remove a spine using Verrucacid solution you must:
- Pre-soften the skin growth. To do this, it is recommended to stick the Salipod keratolytic patch on the wart a day before the planned procedure or apply Vartox cream;
- Prepare the tumor for the procedure. To do this, the keratinized layers are cut off as much as possible with nail scissors, the problem area is washed with soap and water, and wiped thoroughly;
- Immediately before treatment, coat the tissue around the spine with zinc paste. This will help avoid skin damage if the cauterizing solution gets on healthy areas of the epidermis;
- Moisten the applicator on the cap in the solution, remove excess liquid;
- Apply a drop of cauterizing agent directly to the skin lesion;
- Wait a few minutes until the preparation dries, repeat the manipulations;
- Depending on the size of the growth, perform up to seven treatments in a row, taking pauses;
- After the last drop of the drug has dried, wipe off the zinc paste with cotton wool.
About ten minutes after the end of the procedure, a slight burning sensation will be felt, and the skin will acquire a reddish tint. This is considered an indicator of the correctness and effectiveness of the procedure performed.
Verrukacid is an improved version of its almost complete analogue, Feresol. However, unlike its predecessor, it has a lower concentration of active substances. This reduces the intensity of burns and minimizes the likelihood of scars appearing on the treated areas of the skin.
Prevention
Spine is difficult to treat . It is easier to prevent a problem by taking preventative measures than to treat it. Among the preventive measures you can see:
- maintaining personal hygiene, hand care using special products;
- development of strong immunity;
- balanced diet;
- maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
- rejection of bad habits;
- treating any injuries on your hands with an antiseptic.
If a thorn appears on your hand, do not delay treatment. Timely and correct therapy will help get rid of the unaesthetic growth and eliminate discomfort. Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor. It is prohibited to cut out the growth yourself to avoid the tumor degenerating into a malignant one.
What are the symptoms and manifestations of the disease?
The spine appears flatter than a wart or callus, and feels denser to the touch. If you examine the growth under a microscope, you can see a large number of small papillae, which, over time, spread deep under the skin - which is why removing the spine is always extremely difficult.
Often the growths are located in small groups: one large wart (with a deep conical center) is located in the middle, and several smaller ones surround it. Surgeons say that it is enough to remove the “uterus” and all small tumors will disappear on their own.
