Introduction
Warts are certain growths on the skin that are small and rough in texture. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, hands, and feet. For the most part, warts are not dangerous or harmful in any way, but they may cause slight discomfort and pain where they appear.
However, you must not worry, as warts are common and can impact people of different ages without any known specific cause. They are common in children and people who have a weaker immune system.
These tiny ugly looking protrusions usually spread through direct contact with anyone with a wart or by touching any kind of surface that the virus has been exposed to.
Getting yourself treated is vital to stop the warts from spreading or causing too much aggravation. Cures for warts include medicines from your local drug store to more professional options such as freezing (cryotherapy), surgery, or even laser removal.
It usually depends on the seriousness of the issue at hand. For more serious cases or recurring warts, getting the proper treatment is imperative for prompt results, which decreases the chances of scarring.
In the rainy city of Manchester, a lot of clinics offer treatments for wart removal that are catered and personalized specific to the patient’s needs. Whether it’s a one-time problem or a recurring issue, professional treatment can help you get rid of the warts timely.
Keep reading to find out more about what they are and how you can get the best treatment for wart removal in Manchester.
Understanding Warts
Definition
Caused by the HPV, warts are identified as small benign growths that show up on the skin. They occur when the HPV virus affects the topmost layer of the skin, usually entering the body through small cuts or openings.
Types of Warts
Common Warts: These are rough in texture and appear raised on the surface of the skin. They are usually found on the fingers of the person infected, along with the hands or knees.
Plantar Warts: These are commonly found on the soles of the feet and usually grow inwards due to the pressure that we feel. This results in pain while walking.
Flat Warts: These warts are small and smooth in texture, and unlike plantar warts, they appear raised on the surface. They are found on the face, neck, and hands.
Genital Warts: As the name suggests, these warts appear on the infected person’s genital area and are transmitted through sexual contact.
Causes of Warts
The primary cause of warts is HPV, which is a bunch of over 100 similar viruses. Different types of HPV types cause different kinds of warts on the human body. The virus ends up stimulating a lot of extra cell growth in the outermost layer of the skin which results in the appearance of a wart.
How Warts Spread
When a person gets into direct contact with another person or object that is infected, they are likely to get the wart themselves. It can also spread through:
- Touching/scratching warts
- Sharing items with someone who has warts, such as towels, razors, etc.
- Walking barefoot in places that are infected, such as shared showers or swimming pools.
Risk Factors
- Weakened Immune System: Certain conditions, such as HIV or medications that suppress your immune system, increase the likelihood of getting warts.
- Age: Due to their developing immune systems, children and younger adults are more likely to get warts.
- Skin Damage: Cuts or scratches provide an entryway for the HPV virus to enter the body.
- Moist Environments: Regular exposure to damp areas increases the chances of getting plantar warts.
When To Seek Treatment
Signs Indicating the Need for Wart Removal
The removal of warts becomes a necessity in the following situations:
- The wart is painful or causes discomfort, especially in areas where your body weight rests, such as the feet.
- It spreads throughout the body to other parts.
- An infection is developed around the wart resulting in the area bleeding or oozing.
- The color, size, or shape of the wart changes.
- If the wart is a persistent, over-the-counter medication.
Potential Complications if Left Untreated
Although, for the most part, warts are harmless and can easily be cured, certain potential complications could occur if they are left untreated. These include:
- Increased Spread: The occurrence of the warts on different parts of the body is quite frequent.
- Infection: Touching or scratching the wart leads to an infection; most likely bacterial.
- Functional Issues: If you struggle with mobility and walking, this could result in problems with your posture.
- Rare Cancer Risk: Genital warts, which are a result of HPV strains 16 and 18, could increase the likelihood of cancer.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
For the most part, visible warts can result in the person who has them feeling uncomfortable, awkward, embarrassed, or even having low self-esteem.
In the case of genital warts, the person having them may feel a strain on their relationship because of a fear of intimacy and the stigma that is attached to having this particular condition. These emotional stressors can affect a person’s everyday life as well as their mental well-being.
However, you needn’t worry because through treatment and emotional support, both the physical and mental symptoms can be eliminated, resulting in a speedy recovery and the removal of the warts.
Treatment Options Overview
People looking for wart removal in Manchester must understand the treatment methods that are possible to help cure their illness. These treatments can range from changes in your lifestyle to remedies to even undergoing surgeries.
However, if you have warts, you shouldn’t worry because they are generally harmless and can be easily removed. Warts that are caused by HPV can be treated using different treatment methods.
Some of these include medicines from your local pharmacy, cryotherapy, prescription medication, or, worst-case scenario, a minor surgery. Of course, each treatment has its considerations, which depend on the size, type, and location of the wart. Other factors, such as the overall health of the patient and their age, are also taken into consideration.
Most of the time, warts may get better on their own. However, self-treatment isn’t recommended as it could lead to further problems such as infection or scarring. Therefore, it is best to consult a professional doctor and ensure you get the best treatment possible and heal quickly. The health practitioner will correctly diagnose the wart and eliminate any serious complications. They may also provide prevention and care tips regarding how they can be stopped from reappearing on the skin.
Depending on home remedies may hinder the healing process or worsen the condition. By getting advice from a professional, individuals are likely to get rid of their warts effectively and immediately.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
Over-the-counter treatments for warts are readily available and can be very effective in curing the virus. The two most common treatments for warts are salicylic acid and freezing sprays.
Salicylic acid works best by slowly making the skin soft and then eventually removing the built-up layers of the wart. It is available in different forms, such as gels or a basic liquid solution. Salicylic acid slowly dissolves the tissue in the skin step by step until there is none more left. It then helps the body fight the HPV that produces these nasty warts to make sure they do not come back in the same place again.
To use Salicylic acid up to its full potential you must follow the following steps:
- Soak the wart-infested area into warm water for around 5-10 minutes to help in making the skin soft and easily treatable
- Use a nail filer to gently file the wart to clean the area before applying the Salicylic acid.
- Apply the Salicylic acid directly to the infected area containing the wart(s).
Follow these steps regularly until you see the desired results and the wart disappears completely.
It is important to know that it is recommended not to use Salicylic acid in sensitive areas because it might cause irritation and in some cases, it may make the infection worse.
Freezing sprays contain liquid nitrogen and copy the cryotherapy-type treatment you might receive if you went to a clinic. They use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart until it falls off. The freezing spray creates an ulcer under and around the wart. The consistent freezing helps both the ulcer and the wart to eventually fall off.
You need to be very careful while using freezing sprays as they can damage the skin around the wart, which was initially not damaged and was fine. Most warts will fall off after one or two times using the freezing spray, but some might take more time. It is also important for you not to use the freezing spray in sensitive areas as it may irritate, just like the salicylic acid.
Wart Removal in Manchester Professional Treatments
It is always better to go for professional treatments rather than over-the-counter ones, even though they tend to be rather expensive. Some warts keep coming back even after being treated which will not be the case for professional treatments, which is why it is recommended to visit a professional to begin with.
The first treatment used is cryotherapy, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the warts until they fall off. Using earbuds or a spray, liquid nitrogen is applied on the skin directly upon the wart. Within a week or two, the wart falls off by itself due to its exposure to such extreme cold.
Cryotherapy is generally used when dealing with multiple warts as it is very efficient. Just like the freeze spray, this may also cause some irritation on the skin after being exposed to the extremely cold liquid nitrogen. Some warts may take more than one session, as not all warts come off very easily.
Laser therapy is a new and modern way of removing and dealing with warts. It includes using a high beam of light, which completely burns the wart and the cells in the skin that may have been damaged by the HPV. This is a very effective way of dealing with warts, even if they are hard to get off. Laser therapy is very efficient and will not require more than one session. It is also good for removing warts that may have been created in sensitive areas, unlike other treatments.
Alternative and Home Remedies
For the longest time, home remedies have been used to solve multiple problems with natural ingredients for their medicinal abilities. Many remedies can be used to treat warts, such as apple cider vinegar, banana peels, and garlic. These treatments usually stand out to people who are interested in cheap and non-invasive methods to heal from the illness they are facing.
Effectiveness and Scientific Backing
Among all of the home remedies to treat warts, using duct tape is probably one of the few that has some scientific backing to it. Research claims that using the tape will help with the irritation of the skin, which will trigger an immune response that will help fight the virus.
However, the results are mixed, and the effectiveness is still inconclusive. Another popular remedy is using apple cider vinegar because of its acidic nature which helps break down the wart tissue. Again, the results are mixed, and the effectiveness is inconclusive. Not to forget, ill-use of certain products could do further harm than good.
There are other remedies as well. Some of these include using banana peels and garlic, which rely on anecdotal evidence. The peels of bananas are known to have enzymes and antioxidants that help in healing, while garlic has properties that help with antivirals. Although garlic has shown promising results in the lab, in the real world for warts there is a lot of lack of evidence.
It is important to remember that DIY wart treatments come with risks. Overuse of acidic substances can damage the skin around the wart and lead to more damage. Additionally, duct tape can irritate the skin, especially in younger children.
Additionally, treating warts that have cuts and scars on them can result in the virus spreading. This is why, for wart removal in Manchester, it is best to first look for the best clinics rather than fixing this problem on your own.
Hindering treatment from professionals can result in the condition worsening and resulting in more problems. This could also result in more discomfort, and thus, it is best to visit the doctor the second a person realizes they have a wart.
Choosing the Right Clinic for Wart Removal in Manchester
Firstly, you need to choose a clinic that offers different treatment methods to remove warts. Not all warts can be removed from the same treatment which is why you need to look for a clinic that offers multiple ways to get rid of warts.
While dealing with medical problems, it is vital to also check the background of the staff of the medical facility you are planning to visit. Double check their credentials and years of experience.
It is also important for the place to have good hygiene. It is very easy for these clinics to neglect hygiene protocols. This is why it is best to do some prior research, especially on how firmly the clinic is in implementing its hygiene protocols.
In the end, consider doing a cost-and-benefit analysis while comparing the prices of various clinics and see if you are being quoted a competitive price while not compromising on the quality of the treatment provided. Find the right balance between quality and pricing.
Conclusion
Getting rid of warts is crucial for the well-being and hygiene of the person infected. Hanging warts may also affect a person’s confidence in public.
Proper wart removal in Manchester is no more a challenge as the city now holds various reputable clinics in its heart. While having over-the-counter solutions like the freezing spray and salicylic acid, they also hold expertise in providing professional treatments like cryotherapy and laser therapy.
However, It is imperative to choose the right clinic for your treatment. It is not wise to just prioritise the best price in this scenario, as they might be cutting corners or not maintaining good hygiene in their clinic. So, doing your homework before visiting might be a good start to making sure they take care of all things important.
Luckily, we at Revitalise London are here to help you do all that and more as we believe in providing the best patient care, both on and off-line. With 25 proud years of experience, we will provide you with impeccable treatment plans that are sure to promise not just cure but a smooth recovery as well.