Lapis pencil from papillomas
The content of the article:
- How does a pencil work
- Medical indications
- How to use
- Contraindications
- Method advantages
- Precautions
- An integrated approach to treatment
- Video
Papillomas, or warts, are benign growths of the skin and mucous membranes caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are various ways to remove warts. One of the available methods is to use a papilloma pencil. The mechanism of action of the pencil is based on the property of silver nitrate, which is part of its composition, to cauterize living tissues. The tool is inexpensive, easy to use, and quite effective.
Lapis pencil can be used to remove small single papillomas
How does a pencil work
A medicinal pencil consists of an alloy of two main components.
| Component | Characteristic |
| Silver nitrate, or silver nitrate | It is a salt of a metal of silver and nitric acid, has the form of colorless crystals of rhombic form, well soluble in water. The therapeutic effect is based on the ability to suppress the vital activity of various microorganisms. Anti-inflammatory and astringent properties appear at a low concentration of the agent, cauterizing - at a high concentration, such as in crystals. Refers to poisonous substances. With short-term contact with the skin, it causes their darkening, and with prolonged contact with deep chemical burns. |
| Potassium nitrate, or potassium nitrate, Indian nitrate |
It is a potassium salt of nitric acid. If it is in a crystalline state, it looks like a colorless substance, if in a crushed form, it looks like a white powder. It is non-volatile, odorless, readily soluble in water, non-toxic to living organisms. |
The pencil is a solid white rod, cast from an alloy of silver nitrate and indian nitrate. One end of the rod looks like a cone with a rounded top; for convenience, it is inserted into a plastic holder with a removable cap.
Medical indications
The instructions for the product contain the following indications:
- small cuts;
- erosion;
- cracks in the epidermis;
- abrasions;
- small warts.
Recently, some manufacturers do not indicate warts in the list, but a pencil is traditionally used for these purposes. It can be freely purchased from pharmacies without a prescription and used at home. But the treatment must be preceded by a specialist consultation. A visit to a dermatologist is necessary to confirm the benign nature of the formation.
How to use
The lapis wart pencil is easy to use. The algorithm of actions when using it is quite simple.
| Sequencing | Description |
| Skin preparation | Wash the area of the skin with a build-up with soap, and then be sure to dry. This must be done as dirt and peeling epithelium will reduce the effectiveness of the procedure. When localizing a wart on the sole, it is advisable to first steam it in hot water and remove the upper stratum corneum with a pumice stone or a special file for a pedicure. |
| Protection of surrounding tissues | Apply petroleum jelly or any greasy cream to the skin around the formation. This pre-treatment will protect nearby tissues from irritation and chemical burns. |
| Pencil preparation | Remove the protective cap and then dip the tip of the rod in cold water. The active ingredient will begin to dissolve in water and will be well applied to the surface of the wart. |
| Papilloma treatment | Treat the build-up with a product, trying to apply it exactly to the formation and not touch the surrounding tissues. Do not press too hard, otherwise the pencil shaft may break. You should not rub in the product, it should be absorbed on its own. For 30-40 minutes after the procedure, do not wet the skin at the site of application. |
The wart will darken after using the pencil. Treatment must be continued until it dries completely. The multiplicity, the duration of the use of a lapis pencil depends on the size and location of the papilloma. In practice, the following options for applying the product are most often used:
- once every 10 days for a month;
- daily for 7-10 days;
- 2-3 courses (4-5 daily treatments) with a break of 7-10 days.
Usually, small growths on the body are treated according to the first option, dense keratinized growths on the hands - according to the second, plantar warts - according to the third. The condition of papillomas should be monitored and, if necessary, the treatment regimen should be adjusted. Sometimes 1-2 procedures are enough to eliminate small papillomas.
Contraindications
The use of a silver nitrate medicinal pencil is not recommended for a number of conditions.
| Contraindications | Justification |
| Individual intolerance to products containing silver | When using silver nitrate, an allergic reaction may develop: rashes on the skin, redness, swelling, itching. But it is necessary to distinguish between manifestations of allergies and discomfort that occur immediately after applying the product. A slight, quickly passing burning sensation, discomfort in the area of the build-up should not be regarded as intolerance to a pencil. |
| Facial and genital education |
Silver nitrate is a rather aggressive substance, the delicate skin of the face, the mucous membranes of the genitals can react more sensitively to its use. After using the pencil, the appearance of discolored skin areas, scars on the face, burns in the anogenital area cannot be ruled out. |
| Large papillomas | Removal with lapis of significant formations, warts on a wide base can lead to the formation of extensive defects on the skin. They often take a long time to heal, with the formation of rough deforming scars. |
| Childhood | In children, especially under 2 years old, you should not get rid of papillomas by burning with silver nitrate. Young patients are much more likely to get burned than adults. In addition, even a slight burning sensation when using a pencil is a limitation to its use in this contingent of patients. |
Pregnancy and lactation are not absolute contraindications for chemical cauterization with lapis. Small formations on the body and limbs can be removed with this method. If in doubt about the use of a medicated pencil, a dermatologist should be consulted.
Method advantages
Silver nitrate in the form of a pencil has several advantages:
- compactness of the product;
- cost-effectiveness of spending;
- hygienic packaging;
- accuracy of application;
- ease of use.
The undoubted advantage of the method is the ability to use the product at home.
Precautions
The use of silver nitrate in the form of a pencil requires simple precautions:
- preservation in places inaccessible to children;
- termination of use after the expiration of the period indicated on the package;
- tightly closing the cap after applying the product;
- avoidance of freezing;
- exclusion of contact with mucous membranes.
An integrated approach to treatment
It is impossible to be limited only to the removal of papillomas, it is necessary to prescribe antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs. Without these medications, the risk of recurrence of neoplasms is very high, due to the viral nature of the disease.
Warts occur when infected with the human papillomavirus, which can exist in the body in two forms:
- active (introsomal, malignant);
- inactive (benign, episomal).
At the first, the virus is incorporated into the genome of the epithelial cell, provokes a significant reproduction of HPV-encoded proteins, and leads to the appearance of typical clinical symptoms in the form of papillomatous growths. With a benign form of parasitism, it is in the epithelial cell in a latent state, not integrating into its chromosomal apparatus, and does not cause the growth of warts.
Currently, there are no effective drugs that can completely remove HPV from the human body. Therefore, the main task during therapy is to put the virus into a dormant state. This can be achieved by using antiviral agents, increasing the overall body resistance and the effectiveness of the local immune response.
Video
We offer for viewing a video on the topic of the article.
Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
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