Laser removal of tumors is a very common and effective procedure that helps to get rid of unwanted growths. This is a relatively new method, which appeared in the medical arsenal not so long ago, but has already managed to prove its advantage over other removal methods. The forerunners of laser destruction were removal using liquid nitrogen, electricity or a scalpel. All of this could cause significant discomfort to the patient, while laser removal with painless intervention shows high results.
Why remove
Papillomas, which are growths of various shapes and sizes, are usually benign neoplasms. They are localized to the mucous membranes of the user or his skin. The main reason for their appearance is the activity of the human papillomavirus, which in most cases is sexually transmitted.
Removing these formations performs several tasks at once:
- Aesthetic correction.A patient with growths may be uncomfortable if others pay too much attention to them. Therefore, a person may feel insecure and uncomfortable, even if growth does not endanger him.
- Injury prevention.If the growth is in a traumatic area where the patient is constantly touching it, it can lead to detachment of the protruding part. In addition, trying to cover the papilloma with clothing can have a problem such as rubbing the affected area. It is fraught with papilloma injury and possible future infection. Damage can cause microbial penetration, which can cause inflammation of the wound. If this happens, the affected area should be treated with peroxide and the clinic should be taken immediately to remove the remaining part of the papilloma.
- Reducing the risk of cancer.Despite the benign nature of the growths, their manifestations are as diverse as warts. They are usually located in intimate places and pose a great danger in terms of the development of cancer. All warts must be removed to prevent the disease.
Do not remove the growths yourself. Any attempt to tie the papilloma with a thread, comb it, apply some chemical to it can worsen its condition.
Benefits of the procedure
Laser destruction has several advantages over other removal methods.These include:
- Guaranteed result.Thanks to the laser effect, the growth is completely removed, leaving nothing even in the deep subcutaneous layers. The device is able to penetrate deep enough to clear all traces of neoplasm.
- Painlessness.Exposure to the laser causes minimal pain to the patient. If you add temporary anesthesia to the procedure with local anesthetics, there is no pain at all.
- Speed of the procedure. It takes 2 to 5 minutes per cell to remove papillomas with a laser.
- Non-invasiveness.The laser beam is in a strictly limited area and does not exceed it. In this case, more than one part of the laser does not touch the treatment site. This is very important because this method helps to reduce the risk of infection and provides a high guarantee of sterility.
- There are no postoperative scars.If the work is done correctly, there must be no trace of laser action at the point of exposure. This is due to the fact that the affected tissues have completely evaporated and are then replaced by new, intact skin.
- Type of blood deletion.The laser beam heats the capillaries that supply the blood, quickly closing its walls. As a result, the bleeding stops and does not resume after surgery.
- Suitable for different parts of the body.Not all removal methods can be used on all parts of the body. Intimate areas, eyelids, etc. are considered particularly sensitive. Laser destruction helps to deal well with growths in such places due to the accuracy of the laser beam.
All of these factors make laser removal one of the most sought after procedures to get rid of growths.
Contraindications
The list of contraindications to this procedure is not as long as other methods of destruction.Among the laser removal bans:
- diabetes;
- oncology;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- epilepsy;
- diseases associated with endocrine problems;
- poor blood clotting;
- HIV or AIDS;
- Acute inflammatory diseases.
In addition, patients with a recent history of influenza or acute respiratory infections should be delayed for some time.
Description of the procedure
Before starting any procedure to remove growths, your doctor will disinfect the area to be operated on. In some cases, local anesthetic pain relief is used. An ointment or spray is usually used for this purpose. It takes 2-3 minutes after taking the anesthetic and the removal process begins.
The laser beam is directed at the affected area and seems to attract unwanted growth. At this point, the cell contents are evaporated by the laser, removing each layer of affected tissue. This happens not only in easily accessible places in open spaces. The procedure for removing the papilloma, for example on the eyelid, is the same. The only nuance in this area is that the patient uses a special cooling method to prevent pain and burns in this sensitive area.
New formations in intimate areas are removed according to the same principle. But here the doctor usually uses an anesthetic injection as an anesthetic, injecting growth from different sides.
The moment of needle insertion may be a little painful, but after a few minutes the sensitivity in the affected area disappears completely and further manipulations are completely painless.
The affected area turns into a small wound without blood. During disposal, it is disinfected due to laser work. After removing the build-up, your doctor will treat the affected area with potassium permanganate.
After the procedure for removing the papilloma, the patient may experience slight redness, itching or mild pain.
This reaction is considered normal because, despite the non-invasiveness of the procedure, the integrity of the skin was impaired during surgery.All discomfort should disappear completely 2-4 days after the procedure.
A dry crust later appears over the wound. Underneath it is already a layer of healthy skin, so its protective cover cannot be torn off until it falls off. Otherwise, a scar may remain on the skin and the healing process itself may take longer.
Consequences
Complications after laser destruction are rare. Usually, their presence is related to diseases that the patient already has, which he did not cure before the procedure. So, for example, if a patient had inflammation of the skin, it may contribute to the appearance of pigmentation. If the skin itself is very sensitive, there may be a slight redness associated with the burn. An increased allergic reaction may cause swelling at the site of exposure.
To eliminate any side effects, consult your doctor before disposing of the laser.
Post-procedure care
After removing the buildup, the patient should follow these guidelines:
- Do not allow water to enter the wound for 2-3 days;
- Refrain from saunas, baths and swimming pools.
- Do not rub the damaged area with a towel.
- Do not apply the wound with adhesive plaster;
- Do not treat the papilloma removal site with scrubs, lotions containing alcohol;
- Avoid ultraviolet rays.
An antiseptic treatment of the wound should be performed several times a day. This should be done until the scab has been removed. This treatment should prevent infection and help speed up the time to complete healing.You can use iodine or potassium permanganate solution to treat the affected area.
After removal, the area can be treated with anti-inflammatory ointments.
Their goal is to speed up tissue regeneration, relieve inflammation and edema. It is best to consult a doctor before choosing a particular remedy.
Which method is better
Laser removal is not the only method to deal with unwanted growth. There are other types that stand out:
Cryodestruction.
Based on the separation of papillomas with liquid nitrogen. Due to the effects of low temperatures, the accumulation begins to collapse and eventually disappears completely. The method is effective, but it has several drawbacks. Among them, it is impossible to fully control the depth of nitrogen action. The substance can penetrate very deeply, touching a healthy area or vice versa, acting only superficially, without affecting all layers of accumulation localization.
In addition, this method is characterized by:
- Possibility of postoperative scars;
- painful feelings;
- could not guarantee the result after the first procedure.
Thus, laser destruction shows greater efficiency compared to cryodestruction. Laser removal is less painful and is likely to guarantee the desired result.
Removing radio waves.
This method of destruction is performed using a special apparatus that acts on the papilloma through radio waves. This promotes the accumulation of the radioactive knife due to its point effect. The accuracy of the procedure is very high so that the adjacent tissues are not affected. However, the risk of burns or infection is extremely low.
This method is suitable for removing small benign lesions. It is very effective, which makes it as popular as laser destruction. Both methods are considered modern approaches to papilloma removal and are equally well used in medicine.
Electrocoagulation.
This method is based on the action of a high-frequency electric current acting on the papilloma directly at the site of the lesion. Electrocoagulation is now considered a common but obsolete method. This method prevents bleeding after removing the papilloma by burning dishes.
However, when high-frequency current is used, patients experience pain that occurs even after anesthesia. This forces some patients to abandon electrocautery, opting for laser removal as a more advanced and painless method.
Estimated costs
The price range depends not only on the region and clinic where the removal is performed, but also on the number, size, and location of the removed growths.
Many clinics have a discount for removing new growths in bulk: the more patients there are, the cheaper it will be to remove one growth.
Getting rid of growths in the genital area can be significantly more expensive than getting to other parts of the body. In addition, not every clinic provides such a service due to the complexity of such manipulation.