Care after wart removal with nitrogen: what should you do?

The appearance of warts on the body has an unattractive appearance that confuses many people. Warts may not cause any discomfort, however, there are cases when this type of formation causes discomfort and requires removal.

At the moment, it is possible to remove unwanted formations on the skin using various methods; most often, warts are removed with nitrogen. This method helps to quickly and painlessly eliminate the formation without the risk of any relapses.

After the growth is removed with nitrogen, no trace remains on the patient’s skin; in addition, this type of procedure is affordable and is used for all types of warts.

What is a wart and what does it look like?

A wart is a benign neoplasm that appears on the epidermis as a result of damage to skin cells by the papilloma virus.

As a result of the destruction of healthy epidermal cells, the stratum corneum increases and a growth appears on the skin.

Most often, this type of formation is painless, but sometimes there are cases when, as a result of damage to the integrity of the surface of the growth, a person feels pain.

These types of formations can be located in absolutely any area of ​​the body and come in various shapes and sizes.

Externally, warts look like a skin nodule that has a rough surface and most often differs in color from the natural shade of the skin.

Warts can be of the following types:

• Ordinary - formations that appear most often on the hands and do not give a person any unpleasant sensations;
• Plantar - formed on the soles of the feet, most often have painful symptoms and interfere with the normal process of walking. Visually similar to corns, however, more difficult to remove;
• Youthful - formations that practically do not exceed the level of the skin and differ slightly from the natural shade of the epidermis;
• Pointed - formations, most often appear in the axillary and groin area, are small nodules that, when fused together, form ridges.

Common wart Plantar wart Juvenile warts Pointed wart
A wart most often appears as a result of damage to the skin and untimely treatment with an antiseptic.

Warts also very often appear as a result of improper personal hygiene and visiting public places.

Rules for caring for a wound after cauterization

Rehabilitation is no less important stage of treatment than removal.

In order for the restoration of the skin to be successful, without negative consequences and complications, it is necessary to follow the rules of wound care:

1. It is forbidden to wet the wound. It is not recommended to take a bath for the first 3 days after surgery.
2. After starting water procedures, cover the wound with a plaster to prevent water from entering. After bathing, gently wipe the affected area with a paper towel. It is unacceptable to rub with a towel.
3. Change dressing materials regularly. During treatment, use antiseptic agents to prevent dirt from entering the open wound after removal with nitrogen and blood.
4. Do not touch the affected area unless necessary. This can injure the area, causing inflammation and prolonged healing.
5. It is forbidden to try to cut or pick off a wart. This can lead to the development of complications, which is dangerous in the matter of wound healing and for human health.
6. It is necessary to protect the growth from direct sunlight. This includes limiting your time on the beach or visiting the solarium.
7. It is forbidden to pierce a bubble with liquid. Under the thin film of the blister there are ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria.
8. The crust that appears after the bubble bursts is not peeled off. Otherwise, the risk of scarring or scarring increases.
9. It is not recommended to use decorative cosmetics if the growth is on the face. You should avoid using aggressive hygiene products (belongings, masks).
10. If the wart is located on the foot, you should limit wearing shoes. For heel wounds, you will have to give up heels and uncomfortable platforms for several months.
11. Treatment after removal with nitrogen should be carried out only with products prescribed by the attending physician.

Compliance with all the rules for caring for a wart will help shorten the rehabilitation period. The growth dies off within 2 weeks. During normal healing, after nitrogen removal, the skin will be completely cleared within 1 month.

When should a wart be removed?

A wart can be removed at any time if it gives a person discomfort or interferes with work, but there are some situations in which wart removal is necessary.

Such situations include:

• Rapid increase in size;
• Pain and burning when pressed;
• Isolation of blood from the formation;
• Additional ones appeared at the site of formation;
• Warts that are present on the hands and lead to regular damage during work;
• On the foot when a wart prevents normal movement;
• Formation of warts on the genitals.

Before removing a wart, it is recommended to first undergo all tests and consult a doctor.

Removing warts with liquid nitrogen

The liquid nitrogen removal procedure or cryodestruction is aimed at performing the following tasks:

• Cells damaged by the virus are eliminated by freezing with liquid nitrogen;
• When applied correctly, the risk of burns is reduced to a minimal percentage;
• The possibility of reoccurrence of formation at the site of removal is eliminated;
• Thanks to this removal method, the duration of exposure to nitrogen does not take more than 30 seconds.

Using cold to remove warts allows you to quickly start the natural processes of cell regeneration.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

However, despite all the pros and cons of the procedure, this method of wart removal is very popular and is provided in almost all clinics.

What warts can be removed with liquid nitrogen?

Liquid nitrogen is used to remove the following types of warts:

• Plantar formations - a method used to remove warts on the feet and toes. To carry out this type of procedure, a special device is used, since in the area of ​​​​the feet it is necessary to carry out a longer impact on the formation;
• Common warts - the procedure for removing this type of wart with nitrogen occurs quite quickly, and is used for the hands and feet. This type of procedure is very convenient, since these types of warts are rarely formed as a single specimen, much more often they are a cluster of formations, the removal of which can be carried out in several procedures;
• Senile - for such removal, nitrogen is applied manually and requires several applications. Also, when removing such warts, it is very important to take into account the size and number of formations on the body. Used for areas of the body such as arms, legs, face, back and abdomen;
• Flat - it is recommended to use nitrogen, since this type of procedure is considered the most gentle compared to other methods. Most often, the appearance of flat warts is accompanied by a large number, so several procedures are necessary to remove the formations. Used for all areas of the body except the breasts in women, the axillary and groin areas.

Each type of wart requires special treatment, so the duration of the procedure most often depends on the type of wart and the degree of neglect of the skin lesion by the virus.

What contraindications does the procedure have?

Like any type of procedure affecting the skin, removal of warts with nitrogen has the following types of contraindications:

• Swelling of the skin;
• Skin damage;
• Epileptic seizures;
• Oncological type education;
• Colds;
• Pregnancy;
• Children under 7 years of age;
• High blood pressure;
• Individual sensitivity to cold;
• The presence of inflammatory processes in the human body;
• Allergic reactions on the skin near the location of the infectious node.

If nitrogen removal is carried out in the presence of any contraindication, complications and aggravation of the disease may occur.

How to prepare for the procedure?

Before carrying out the procedure for removing warts with nitrogen, the following preparatory procedures must be carried out:

• Consult your doctor;
• Pass all necessary tests;
• Avoid taking any medications;
• Cleanse the skin of various cosmetics.

During the procedure, the patient must carefully monitor his health and, if it worsens, immediately notify the specialist.

Advantages of cryodestruction of condylomas

Among the advantages of removing condylomas with liquid nitrogen:

• no anesthesia is required, which is important if some patients are intolerant to local anesthetics;
• there is no violation of the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes, no bleeding occurs, the risks of secondary infection are reduced;
• no scars form after removal;
• the low temperature of liquid nitrogen has a detrimental effect on the human papillomavirus;
• If there is metal in the body and a fresh tan, cryodestruction is preferable, since hardware methods are impossible in these cases.

Features of removing different types of warts with nitrogen

Depending on the type of wart, the following treatment features are observed:

• Flat warts are removed as follows: In a single case, nitrogen is applied to the growth with a cotton swab;
• For a large number of warts, cryomassage with nitrogen is used. To do this, nitrogen is applied to the cotton wool and the area where the formations accumulate is applied with quick circular movements;
• Most often, flat warts do not form a blister, but begin to peel off and disappear after a few weeks;

The remaining species are removed in a classic manner and do not require special tools for applying nitrogen.

The need for a repeat procedure

The procedure is repeated in the following situations:

• For large warts, several sessions are recommended;
• If the root of the wart is located deep in the layers of the skin;
• When the crust fell off, the growth did not completely disappear;
• In cases where the boundaries of the wart remain with the presence of affected skin, it most often manifests itself in the form of inflammatory formations.

Most often, it turns out that only small formations can be eliminated at a time; all other types require several nitrogen exposure procedures.

Anogenital warts (condylomas)

Among sexually transmitted diseases, anogenital warts are especially common. They are flat and elongated neoplasms or elastic elastic growths in the form of cauliflower or cockscomb. Such warts reach 1-1.5 cm and are gray, pink or flesh-colored.

Typically, this type of neoplasm is transmitted sexually: during vaginal/anal sex or even simply through contact with intimate areas without penetration. After oral sex, warts can appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, vocal cords or trachea. Such growths are called oral, or acute, condylomas. In rare cases, infection occurs through household contact or from mother to newborn.

Based on their appearance and structure, there are several types of genital warts:

• Pointed - loose polyps of pink, flesh-colored or red color, on a stalk or a wide base, reminiscent of cauliflower. They can occur either individually or in the form of multiple clusters. Genital warts are prone to rapid reproduction;
• Papillary - round, smooth growths without a stalk, rising above the surface of the skin by several millimeters;
• Keratotic - very dense, thickened formations that protrude significantly above the skin. Typically affects the female labia majora;
• Giant (Buschke-Levenshtein condylomas) are a rare type of wart. They are prone to rapid growth, accompanied by destruction of surrounding tissues. In extremely rare cases, giant condyloma degenerates into a malignant form;
• Flat - formed both singly and in the form of multiple clusters. There are practically no symptoms, sometimes itching and discharge may occur. The affected area of ​​flat growths is the vaginal mucosa and cervix in women.

The appearance of anogenital warts and the deterioration of their condition are often accompanied by other sexually transmitted diseases (ureaplasmosis, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, etc.). It is impossible to protect yourself or your partner from infection using a condom, since in this case it is ineffective. It is necessary to completely abandon intimate relationships until complete recovery.

Anogenital warts occur equally often in people of both sexes who are sexually active (usually from 20 to 25 years). The incubation period for this disease varies from three weeks to nine months, with an average of about three months.

In men, condylomas are most often found on the foreskin, scrotum, inside the urethra and on the penis. They can be localized around the anus and rectum, especially in homosexual men. In women, warts appear mainly at the level of the vulva, vaginal wall, cervix and perineum; The urethra and anal area may also be affected.

Genital warts are more common in immunocompromised patients. The rate of growth varies, but pregnancy, immunosuppression (suppression of the immune system), discharge from the urethra, vagina or rectum, accumulation of smegma, or skin maceration (the natural process of swelling of the epidermis (layer of skin) with prolonged contact with liquid) can accelerate the growth and spread of warts.

Characteristic symptoms of the disease:

• severe itching at the location of the growth;
• painful and uncomfortable sensations;
• burning;
• pain during and after sexual intercourse;
• foreign body sensation;
• problems with defecation when the wart is located in the anus;
• bleeding when condyloma is damaged.

In most cases, anogenital warts are benign, but they can degenerate into carcinoma. For this reason, in order to prevent cancer, condylomas, regardless of their position, shape and size, are always removed.

Anogenital warts are usually diagnosed clinically. Their morphology distinguishes them from typical lateral condylomas of secondary syphilis, but in any case, serological tests for syphilis are necessary in the initial phase and after 3 months. A biopsy is required to rule out carcinoma and is mandatory in cases of bleeding, ulceration or persistent warts.

Endocervical and anal warts can only be visualized by colposcopy and anoscopy. Application of a solution of 3-5% acetic acid for a few minutes before colposcopic examination causes the growth to change color to white, improving visualization and detection of small warts.

Recurrence of anogenital warts is promoted by:

• promiscuity;
• lack of personal hygiene;
• installation of an intrauterine device, termination of pregnancy using surgical traumatic methods or other medical procedures.

This type of wart is dangerous due to a number of complications:

• Lack of careful intimate hygiene or irritation of growths due to constant friction against underwear leads to ulceration of growths by secretion of purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor;
• In the absence of timely treatment, genital warts are prone to suppuration;
• Lack of therapy leads to the formation of a large number of warts. In particularly advanced cases, not even a small area of ​​healthy skin remains;
• In the presence of anogenital warts, a strong decrease in immunity is observed, which is associated with a person’s susceptibility to any infectious disease. If the patient already has a chronic inflammatory disease (in particular, of the pelvic organs), it will necessarily get worse;
• Threat of degeneration into a malignant form.

Is the procedure painful?

The degree of pain depends on the individual characteristics of the person, as well as on the size of the wart that will be treated with nitrogen. The sensation of touching nitrogen on the skin is similar to a cold metal object.

A person undergoing nitrogen cauterization may experience the following unpleasant sensations:

• Mild tingling sensation;
• Feeling of cold at the site of nitrogen exposure;
• Numbness of the area where the wart is located;
• A burning sensation at the site of nitrogen exposure most often occurs at the end of the procedure.

For children, it is recommended to use ointments with an analgesic effect; adults carry out such procedures only at their own discretion.

In some cases, discomfort may last for several days, depending on the size of the formation and the duration of exposure of the skin surface to nitrogen.

Carrying out the procedure during pregnancy and childhood

Removing warts with nitrogen during pregnancy is not recommended, since any intervention in a woman’s body can further weaken the immune system and become a threat to the normal course of pregnancy.

However, if the formation quickly increases in size, then the procedure is performed.

In such cases, it is recommended to postpone the removal of warts with nitrogen until the second trimester.
Since in the first and third trimester, the woman and child are most susceptible to external stimuli. Nitrogen removal in childhood is used from 6-7 years .
However, if necessary, this procedure can be performed at an earlier age.

It is necessary to select a special approach for each child and build on the individual characteristics of the body.

Unlike adults, it is much more difficult for a child to tolerate this method of skin treatment.

Special drugs are used for pain relief and removal is carried out in several sessions.

Possible complications and consequences of the procedure

After a procedure using nitrogen, small spots or scars may remain on the human body.

However, there may be cases when other symptoms occur after removal:

• The appearance of peeling of the skin at the site of exposure to nitrogen most often occurs if large volumes of skin have been exposed to the substance. May appear after removal of juvenile warts;
• The appearance of a pigment spot at the site of exposure to the substance. However, this type of consequence of the procedure most often disappears after some time on its own;
• Scarring occurs most often if the dosage of nitrogen was calculated incorrectly, resulting in a burn.

Complications of this removal method can manifest themselves as follows:

• Formation of a blister that contains a large amount of serous fluid;
• Inflammatory process on the skin as a result of too deep exposure to nitrogen;
• Injuries to tissues located near the enlarged stratum corneum.

If the procedure is carried out in specialized institutions, the risk of complications is quite rare and the effect of nitrogen on the skin is well tolerated.

Flat (juvenile) warts

Flat warts are a fairly common type of tumor and the least problematic. They present as small lenticular lesions (several mm in diameter) or smooth papular lesions. They can grow either singly, which is quite rare, or in large numbers, close to each other.

There are several stages of the disease:

• mild – one or several painless warts;
• medium – from 10 to 100 painless growths;
• severe – more than 100 neoplasms.

If they are localized in places that experience excess pressure (friction from clothing, shoes, etc.), they cause pain.

Flat warts are easily identified and have a white, brown, yellowish or pink hue, similar to the color of meat. They are about the size of a pinhead and, compared to other types of warts, are smoother and flatter. In fact, at the point where a flat wart develops, the skin rises slightly (to a height of about 5mm), forming a sort of raised circular area.

The growths typically appear on the face, knees, elbows, back, legs, and arms (especially the fingers). People of absolutely any age become victims of this disease. But most often it affects children and adolescents (20% of schoolchildren have it), hence the second name for warts - juvenile.

In a close group of schoolchildren, 80% show resistance (resistance) to the virus. In adults, irritation and inflammation after shaving contribute to the proliferation of tumors.

The incubation period of infection can last up to 8 months. Mostly the disease is only a cosmetic defect. Juvenile warts are painless unless caused by mechanical pressure or injury and can sometimes cause itching, but are extremely contagious.

The virus is practically not transmitted through shared objects; the main route of infection is skin contact. Flat warts multiply so easily that it is enough to touch a healthy part of the body to cause the birth of a new formation.

The peculiarity of this type of wart is that in most cases no treatment is required: they can disappear as suddenly as they appeared, especially in children. In adults, the disease must be treated, and the virus is very resistant to drug treatment.

Removing warts at home

You can also burn off warts at home using cryotherapy. To do this, you just need to buy a special drug at the pharmacy, which is similar in effect to liquid nitrogen.

Such drugs include:

• Cryopharma - not liquid nitrogen is used as a refrigerant, but a specially created chemical compound. The disadvantage of this drug is the lack of a deep effect on the tissue, so it can only be used for superficial warts. The average price of the drug is from 500 rubles ;
• Wartner Cryo - the freezing temperature of this drug is about 60 °C, so the risk of side effects when using pharmaceuticals is small. The average price of the drug is from 700 rubles .

Cryopharma Wartner Cryo
You can use the products only after consulting a doctor, and strictly adhering to the instructions for use.

Contraindications for self-freezing warts are:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• Diabetes;
• Age up to 4 years;
• Growths on the mucous membranes.

Contraindications for cryodestruction of condylomas

Contraindications for removing condylomas with liquid nitrogen:

• The presence of other sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, urogenital mycoplasmosis, syphilis, genital herpes). Before cryodestruction of condylomas in these cases, preliminary sanitation of these infections is required.
• The presence of individual intolerance to cold. This may be indicated by the appearance of any itchy rash when exposed to cold (usually like urticaria). To perform a cold test, applying an ice cube to the skin can be used, followed by assessing the patient's condition.
• Feverish conditions accompanying ARVI, exacerbations of chronic diseases.
• Decompensation of diabetes mellitus, cardiac activity.

Prevention of warts

A wart can appear in absolutely anyone, regardless of their lifestyle.

It is necessary to follow some general rules of prevention:

• Wash your hands after visiting public places, especially after using public transport;
• Promptly treat areas of skin damage with an antiseptic;
• Do not be in public places with high humidity without slippers;
• Do not use items that have been in contact with an infected person;
• Take an additional vitamin complex to improve immunity;
• Carefully monitor personal hygiene;
• Do not engage in casual sex;
• Eliminate bad habits;
• Do not use other people's things;

Following simple prevention rules helps reduce the risk of warts and other skin surface diseases.