Human papillomavirus is the second most common virus after the herpesvirus family. Almost everyone has experienced it, and many are asymptomatic carriers. But not everyone gets papilloma, warts and other manifestations of it. In the article, we will tell you what factors affect the appearance of papillomas and how to effectively fight them with the help of drugs.
Causes of papillomas
Papillomavirus is not always able to activate, a healthy immune system successfully suppresses the infection. But as protection weakens, HPV is able to multiply, causing uncontrolled division of epidermal cells. Most often, warts and papillomas on the skin appear in the following categories of people:
- children and adolescents whose immunity is still imperfect;
- pregnant women due to the natural immunosuppression necessary to give birth;
- elderly people;
- smokers and regular alcohol drinkers;
- fat;
- patients with diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases;
- patients with immunodeficiency, including HIV;
- those treated with strong antibiotics, corticosteroids and cytostatics.
Strategy for fighting papillomas
Treatment of papillomas should be comprehensive. This includes several areas:
- tumor removal;
- immunomodulatory treatment if necessary;
- Improving general health, optimizing lifestyle.
Modern pharmacology, which offers many drugs for the treatment of papillomatosis, quite successfully fights the first two points.
Preparations for self-removal of papillomas
Doctors absolutely do not recommend removing papillomas at home, they give several arguments:
- It is difficult for a person to distinguish papilloma or warts from other hyperplasias. This requires a biopsy, after which the resulting microsample is examined under high magnification;
- To remove papillomas, doctors use modern effective methods that are not available to ordinary people (cryodestruction, laser, radioknife, electrocoagulation);
- Household chemicals can cause burns and leave marks if used carelessly.
However, today pharmacies offer many products to eliminate skin tumors. Here is a list of the most common ones.
An effective medicine with embalming and cauterizing effect. Its basis is phenol and 3-methylphenol - substances that coagulate proteins. The product is available as an oily solution in a glass container. The applicator is attached to the cap. The drug is cheap, the bottle is enough to remove a large number of tumors.
One application is enough for small papillomas that are thread-like or filiform. If the wart is old, keratinized or dry, it is recommended to first soften the keratin layer using a patch with salicylic acid or salicylic ointment, and only then apply the solution. Apply several times to large old formations with an interval of 3-5 minutes.
It is important!
Removal of papillomas and condylomas on mucous membranes with this drug is prohibited. This is dangerous for your health!
The drug is allowed to be used by pregnant and lactating women (on the recommendation of a doctor).
A preparation based on acids - nitric, acetic, oxalic, lactic. The price is higher than the previous product.
The drug has a drying and necrotic effect on warts. Available as a solution. After use, the growths change color and fall off after a few days, a crust forms in this place, which cannot be torn off, otherwise a scar may remain. The skin should heal itself. Field of application - any vulgar and flat warts, condylomas.
It is important!
The drug should not be used on the face or in the anogenital region - the burning sensation can be very strong and there is a risk of acid getting into the eyes or mucous membranes!
It is recommended to remove no more than three warts at a time with the drug with a total area of up to 3 cm². Pregnant and lactating women can use the drug only as prescribed by a doctor and under his supervision - in the manipulation room of a clinic or hospital.
In addition to this remedy, pharmacies sometimes sell another drug based on acids (lactic and salicylic). The principle of use, indications and contraindications are the same.
For those who do not want to burn warts with concentrated acids and chemicals, another method was invented - freezing. It is an aerosol containing dimethyl ether and propane.
The drug effectively helps against all types of vulgar warts, including plantar warts, as well as filiform and flat ones. There are practically no restrictions on use. Since it does not contain toxic components, the product can be used by pregnant women, nursing mothers and children over 4 years old.
The aerosol is applied using a special disposable foam applicator to deliver the ether exactly where you want it. The product is sprayed for 10-20 seconds (depending on the size of the wart or papilloma). Fresh small formations disappear after one application, large and old ones may require 2-4.
It is an easy to use and safe product developed by a Japanese company. Its only drawback is the high price. The bottle is enough to treat 5-8 warts or 12 small papillomas.
There is an alternative to the previous drug, this time made in Ireland. And the cost is slightly lower. Indications, contraindications and method of use are the same.
Immunomodulatory treatment
Drug treatment of papillomas involves suppressing the activity of the HPV virus so that new formations do not appear in place of the removed ones. For this purpose, antiviral and immunomodulators, as well as agents for local treatment, are used in parallel with measures to remove papillomas and warts.
A drug often prescribed by doctors that suppresses HPV. It stimulates the synthesis of killer and helper cells, production of interleukin-2, increases the activity of monocytes and nuclear cells. All this helps to prevent the replication (multiplication) of viruses in cells.
Tablets are taken orally, 4 times a day, 2 pieces regularly. The course of treatment is two weeks, then take a break for the same period and repeat the treatment.
The drug gives the best results in the early stages, when the tumors have just appeared, it is possible to suppress the virus quickly and effectively. The product is suitable for use by children over 3 years old. The dose for them is calculated by weight - 50 mcg/kg. Pregnancy and lactation are contraindications to the use of the drug.
The solution is administered intravenously or rectally in the form of a suppository. Its basis is a plant polysaccharide that stimulates the production of its own interferons and prevents the replication of the virus. The price is quite high. 5 ampoules are enough for a course of treatment.
In addition to injections, a gel is applied to the skin after tumor removal. With such complex treatment, it is possible to avoid the appearance of new papillomas in 95% of cases.
Cream with immunomodulatory effect. Apply to the skin three times a week for 8-10 hours (at night) until the desired result is achieved. According to user reviews, the drug is effective against filiform papillomas, senile keratomas, condylomas and other defects.
The drug is not suitable for children under 18 years of age and nursing women. Consultation with a doctor is required during pregnancy.
A product based on interferon alfa-2b in the form of a gel, ointment or cream is suitable for all categories, including future mothers and babies. The drug is non-toxic and has almost no side effects. It is applied to skin tumors three times a day for 2 weeks to a month. The price is low.
The drug contains affinity-purified antibodies to human interferon in homeopathic dilutions. In general, doctors are skeptical of homeopathy, so they rarely prescribe it. But the product also has advantages: non-toxic, children's dose, reasonable price. It is recommended to take this drug not separately, but as part of a complex therapy.
Effective interferon inducer. Available in 1 and 10 mg tablets. The first is prescribed to children and people over 65 years of age, with the exception of pregnant and lactating women, and the second to adults.
It is recommended to take the medicine every hour - at equal intervals, so its effectiveness will be maximum. Course - 10 days. Tablets of 1 mg are taken three times a day, 10 mg - once.
The drug is completely non-toxic, well tolerated and combined with other drugs.
Personal reviews of drugs for the treatment of papillomas
- "I removed small papillomas on my neck in the salon, but a year later they reappeared. It was a pity to pay so much for the second time, I bought an aerosol based on dimethyl ether and propane to try it. At first I was afraid that nothing would work, I had to wait 10 days after the application. Such aduring the period I almost forgot that I removed the papillomas, but one day I got out of the shower and they were gone - my neck was clean.
- "Several times I tried to remove warts on my hands with acetic acid. It was very painful, but the warts disappeared. True, then new ones grew in the same place. Apparently, the acid does not burn at all. The doctor recommended a phenol-based cauterizing drug. I used it for a week, the wartsturned completely white, fell, and was never seen again. "