The appearance of growths on the skin, such as papillomas, rarely occurs without ointments: levomekol, oxolinic or zinc ointment, hydrocortisone or solcoseryl - pharmacies offer these products or their analogues.
But a dermatovenerologist will confirm: complex treatment is necessary, including antiviral drugs, vitamins and external agents.
Pointed or tuberous, soft or corneal - condylomas and papillomas appear on the skin and on the mucous membranes of internal organs due to infection with the human papillomavirus. Rashes make themselves felt during periods of weakened immunity or due to untreated infectious diseases.
Doctors prescribe ointments for papillomas. Their advantages taken into account in external therapy:
- Zinc ointment prevents condylomas from spreading further, and if zinc-salicylic ointment is prescribed, it helps soften the skin and dry out tumors.
- Oxolinic ointment fights the spread of microbes and has antiviral properties.
- Hydrocortisone is a hormonal drug that eliminates inflammation.
- But the leading position is occupied by Levomekol ointment, it prevents microbes from entering damaged condylomas or warts, and stimulates immune processes.
This is a broad-spectrum external preparation with a white creamy texture. Reviews from testing doctors immediately after the development of the product in the 70s of the 20th century indicated its benefits, since the composition contains only active ingredients, and not preservatives or synthetic compounds.
It has proven itself positively in the treatment of warts, the advantage being its availability, sold without prescriptions, and price. For a tube with a capacity of 40 g you can pay from 110 to 140 rubles.
pharmachologic effect
Due to the combined composition, the drug has antimicrobial, antibacterial and dehydrating properties.
It has therapeutic activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. The active ingredient, chloramphenicol, does not violate the integrity of cell membranes, easily penetrates deep into tissues, promotes their regeneration and removal of purulent contents. In addition, when using the ointment, there is a decrease in swelling, inflammation and strengthening of the body's defenses at the local level.
Contraindications and side effects of the drug
Carefully applying the ointment to the head of each wart or condyloma will help avoid an overdose. Care should be taken not to use the product for a long period of time, more than 5 weeks, and not to apply to mucous membranes or healthy skin.
Features of treatment:
- Before application, check the skin for sensitivity to the drug. If redness or swelling occurs at the treatment site, it is better to contact a dermatovenerologist to prescribe another external medicine.
- It is not advisable to use Levomekol for pregnant and nursing mothers, children under adulthood (under 18 years), or simultaneously with other external agents.
The drug, at the discretion of the doctor, can be prescribed to a small child and pregnant women, citing the fact that it is external and is poorly absorbed.
However, studies have confirmed that the antibiotic Chloramphenicol included in the composition is toxic in large doses and internal administration. When treating warts with it, the risk of developing aplastic anemia still arises, albeit in infrequent cases.
- It is better not to apply Levomekol ointment for growths and papillomas, as doctors' reviews indicate, to the skin in the spine area - to avoid affecting the bone marrow.
But not only ointments will help you get rid of growths completely. It is necessary to take antiviral drugs and improve your diet. Vitamins of groups B, C and A must be present in the daily menu.
What is Levomekol used for?
The drug is prescribed for the treatment of the following conditions:
- Skin infections due to pathogenic pathogens.
- Calluses.
- Pimples, boils, blackheads.
- Burn lesions, especially 2nd and 3rd degrees.
- Inflammation of the ear and sinuses with purulent discharge.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Bedsores.
- Postoperative wound care.
- Death of individual sections of tissue.
- Eczema.
Reviews from doctors
Elena Viktorovna, Moscow, 35 years old, gynecologist: For patients after removal of condylomas in the intimate area, I recommend treating the site of papilloma removal with hydrogen peroxide and Levomekol ointment - for speedy tissue restoration.
Sergey Vladimirovich, Kirov, 40 years old, pediatrician: If small warts appear in children after 3 years of age, I advise mothers to strengthen the child’s immunity and apply Levomekol, does it help against papillomas? In combination with antiviral drugs for oral administration - yes, but the ointment is not able to ensure 100% recovery.
How to use Levomekol correctly
Levomikol in the form of leniment is used topically for adults and children over 3 years of age. Depending on the indication, there are some differences in use.
In addition to applying the ointment to the affected areas, it can be administered through a syringe to wash out purulent cavities. To do this, the medicine is heated to 36 C.
When treating various infectious skin diseases, it is worth adhering to the therapeutic dose. The amount of ointment per day should not exceed 3 g. The course duration is 4 days. It is prohibited to use the product for longer to avoid an osmotic state in the affected cells.
Analogues in the treatment of education
Among the ointments used instead of Levomekol, there are similar creams. The same ingredients that are included in the popular product are found in its direct analogues - Levomethyl and Netran.
Dermatologists include Levosin, Lingezin, Ichthyol ointment and Vishnevsky ointment as indirect analogues.
They affect growths in different ways:
- Levomethyl duplicates the composition of Levomekol, acts more mildly, and costs less. But the list of Levomethyl ingredients contains Levomekol itself; the dermatologist’s patient receives a “diluted” version of the well-known antibiotic.
- Netran differs only in its commercial name.
- Levosin ointment contains the same active ingredients as Levomekol, only in smaller quantities, as well as sulfadimethoxine and the anesthetic trimecaine. This product has anesthetic and bactericidal properties.
- Using Vishnevsky ointment, patients note positive dynamics in the treatment of external growth, but there are also differences from Levomekol.
Vishnevsky ointment has a specific smell and dark color; it contains birch tar - a homeopathic ingredient. The product is effective for small growths.
Despite slight differences in cost, Levomekol against emerging papillomas is considered the most effective. One of its ingredients, methyluracil, is included in the list of vital medicinal drugs.
How to treat hemorrhoids with Levomekol
Thanks to the use of Levomikol for hemorrhoids, significant success can be achieved. Since the medicine has an antimicrobial and antibacterial effect, it effectively fights infectious agents.
There is also a decrease in pain, inflammation, swelling and itching. Leniment promotes drying of tissues and stimulates their regeneration.
Treatment of hemorrhoids is carried out in the following order:
- The anus is washed with water at room temperature.
- Dry with a towel.
- Apply the ointment to the area of the nodes before going to bed.
- The anal area is covered with a clean cloth.
- The duration of the course of therapy is no more than 10 days.
Using ointment
Levomekol cream treats papillomas, purulent wounds, sutures, inflammations, and can also treat burns, ulcers, calluses, spines, cuts, midge bites, etc.
This is an external remedy, but it is applied to tampons if the tumors are located in the rectum or on the female genitalia, and is also used under a sterile bandage.
Features of using ointment on genital warts:
- It is best to apply to clean skin, washed with soap and wiped dry. This way, the product will be absorbed faster. But even in non-sterile conditions the ointment is effective.
- Apply the cream to each wart separately. For this, it is more convenient to use a plastic applicator, since a cotton swab can leave fibers in a possible wound.
- When asked whether it is possible to smear Levomekol on genital papillomas, dermatovenerologists say yes. For 1 - 2 weeks, they are treated twice a day and left to dry. Then they take a break for 3–5 days, and continue treatment again. In general, it lasts about a month.
- If, after trying to remove warts yourself, there are still open or non-healing wounds, you can dip a napkin in the ointment and cover the injury with it.
Levomekol for possible papillomas can be used for no more than 5-6 weeks; before use, carefully read the instructions and take into account the subtleties of therapy.
- Before applying, it is better to soften the skin with a moisturizer and not go beyond the wart.
- In case of contact with mucous membranes, wash with water; in case of accidental ingestion, wash the stomach with water and give activated charcoal to drink.
- When treating the surface, try not to treat an area of skin exceeding 10 cm.
- A tube with a capacity of 40 g will last for a long time, because no more than 0.5 g is allowed per knock; other external means can treat the wart an hour before or after applying the cream.
- Sometimes dermatologists advise initially treating the growth with a disinfectant - chlorhexidine. After drying, use Levomekol.
But the drug is not an antiviral agent; it only stimulates the division of healthy cells and eliminates growths. However, doctors indicate that the ointment indirectly promotes the production of interferon - cells responsible for fighting viral infection.
Is it possible to use Levomekol on a wound?
The ointment is widely used for the regeneration of clean wound surfaces and purulent discharge. It helps eliminate pathogens, helps reduce inflammation, swelling and prevents further skin infections.
Leniment is preferably applied at night. If the wound is clean, it is treated with an antiseptic solution and a thin layer of ointment. A bandage is applied on top. When the wound surface suppurates, turundas with an antiseptic are placed into its cavity to absorb pus and secretions. Afterwards, Levomikol is placed and fixed with a napkin soaked in the medicine.
Contraindications for the drug
Instructions, indications, contraindications for the use of each medical product are a product of laboratory research. The practical side may vary. But in the case of this drug, the treatment is effective.
Dermatologists themselves can prescribe Levomekol for papillomas of different sizes; reviews from doctors and patients are mostly positive, but there are nuances.
- The product should be applied to skin moistened with cream to make warts more sensitive to the drug.
- It is often prescribed after surgical removal or cryodestruction so that damaged skin heals faster and new growths do not form.
- In the case of large formations, Levomekol ointment may not get rid of papillomas, like other external remedies.
If warts appear on the face, eyelids, neck, mouth, back, abdomen or limbs, or in the genital area, it is better to immediately consult a doctor to exclude the possibility of serious pathologies. External remedies only combat the aesthetic problem, but do not solve it.
How to use Levomekol for burns
Due to the unique composition of leniment, it has pronounced antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Increases local immunity, which is especially important for burns. In addition, it suppresses the effect of viruses, stimulates the restoration of tissue cells, relieves inflammation and prevents the necrotic process.
To treat burns, the damaged area is washed with an antiseptic solution and covered with a napkin containing Levomikol. The dressing is changed up to 5 times a day.
The drug is used for varying degrees of burns. The duration of the course of treatment is determined by the doctor.
Is the drug needed or not?
Patients of the dermatovenerologist, using an ointment under the world name “Chloramphenicol + Methyluracil”, receive the expected effect of treating unpleasant papillomas. This is explained by the pharmacological properties of the drug:
- An ointment called "Levomekol" helps against papillomas and warts, condylomas, relieving inflammation from the affected areas of the skin. This is effective in cases of growth of tumors, unsuccessful removal of growths using folk remedies, or after surgery.
At the site of open wounds, scars and frequent friction, warts grow faster, which is why doctors themselves recommend the drug for treatment and prevention.
- Can be used as an antimicrobial agent when it comes to E. coli and staphylococci. This property persists in the presence of purulent discharge, which often accompanies warts, and during necrotic processes.
- The drug stimulates regenerative processes, so the use of levomekol for various types of papillomas receives positive feedback from patients.
The ointment substances work on the principle of inhibiting the protein of pathogenic cells, they stop reproducing. Another advantage is the low ability of bacteria to get used to it. While it is in effect, dehydration of pathogenic cells occurs - and warts and condylomas die off.
Compound
The anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and regenerating properties of the drug are due to the combination of an antibiotic (chloramphenicol) and an immunostimulating substance (methyluracil) in its composition.
Methyluracil, by inducing the formation of interferon, increases local immunity, accelerates cellular restoration processes, and normalizes metabolic processes. Penetrating into the deep layers of the epidermis, it reduces inflammation and promotes wound healing.
Note! Methyluracil is included in the list of vital drugs due to the fact that it is a powerful stimulator of growth and regeneration of tissues and cells of the body.
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is effective against many microorganisms, including staphylococci.
Polyethylene oxides, excipients in the ointment, have hygroscopic properties.
Basics of medication use
Levomekol is used for external use against papillomas on the face. You can add this remedy to the course of treatment of benign growths yourself, the main thing is to take into account the subtleties of therapy. How to use the ointment?
Before using the medicine for growths on the neck or other places, the skin must be cleaned of sweat and dirt. Wash the area where the medication is applied with soap and dry. The ointment is used for each growth separately; you can smear the warts with your finger or a special applicator.
The medicine is applied to the damaged or removed papilloma, then covered with a gauze bandage. Levomekol cannot be used for papillomas on the tongue. Based on the instructions, it is necessary to rinse the mucous membranes if the ointment accidentally gets on them. You must not allow the medicine to penetrate the stomach; you will have to rinse and drink activated charcoal. It is recommended to use the medication for the first few days after removal of the growth. In both cases, the medicine is used until the growth falls off or a hard crust forms.
Attention! During therapy, do not expose the wound to sunlight.
For the first 30 days after removal of the growth, it is forbidden to steam the skin. When going outside, cover the papilloma with a bandage and gauze bandage.
Contraindications for use
The medicine has few restrictions. The main contraindications to the use of the drug for papillomas on the body:
- chronic non-infectious disease dermatosis, affecting mainly the skin;
- inflammatory pathology of the superficial layers of the skin, accompanied by polymorphism;
- infectious diseases caused by a fungus.
Attention! Levomekol is not recommended to be taken if you have an allergic reaction to chloramphenicol, ethylene glycol or methyluracil. The medicine is allowed to be used during pregnancy, lactation and for chronic diseases of the patient.
Possible side effects
If you follow the correct use of the drug, you can avoid side effects. Despite the high effectiveness of the drug regarding benign growths, Levomekol causes unpleasant phenomena. Among the side effects, patients experience skin rashes that appear due to excessive use of the drug or if there is hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
Levomekol ointment for papillomas causes inflammatory damage to the skin, which is formed due to exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents. After its use, severe itching and peeling may occur. The medicine causes the blood vessels of the circulatory system to overflow with blood, leading to redness of the area for which the medicine was used. The drug also causes a peculiar reaction of the body, which is allergic and is expressed in swelling of the subcutaneous tissue, skin and mucous membranes.
Cases of overdose when using Levomekoli are rare, as are the occurrence of allergic reactions. The use of ointment in the form of vaginal tampons is prohibited because it causes the development of candidiasis. It is better to choose another drug with a similar effect.
Analogs of Levomekol ointment
This product is unique and most often there is no need to replace it. However, if side effects occur or there are contraindications to the medicine, analogues can be used. What can be replaced? The medication can be replaced with Levomethyl, Netran. Vishnevsky ointment removes warts very well. You can also buy Levosin, Ichthyolka.
User reviews
Oksana Anatolyevna, Tver, 45 years old: Condylomas appeared on the face a long time ago, but before they were not so noticeable. I didn’t want to go to the doctor, so I bought Levomekol and began applying it twice a day for a month. The result is this: small growths resolved, and large ones began to crust over and partially fall off. Then she went to the clinic - the doctor froze them and prescribed the same ointment. My conclusion is that it is better to immediately contact a specialist to rule out the possibility of cancer or other troubles, and then continue to receive further treatment with what is widely available.
Igor, Vologda, 24 years old: Warts began to appear on the elbow, I just noticed it - I immediately bought Levomekol, began to smear it and patiently waited for it to dry completely - no more than half an hour. Now there are only small spots left, if the warts start again, I will use the ointment again. It’s good that the shelf life is 2 – 3 years.