Salicylic ointment is a medicinal preparation containing salicylic acid used in the treatment of various types of benign epidermal neoplasms, be it papillomas, warts, condylomas, spines, keratomas, acrochords.
Description and composition of salicylic ointment
Salicylic ointment is a fairly effective drug designed to fight tumors caused by the human papillomavirus. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for external use only.
Salicylic acid, the main component of the ointment, is most often used to remove papillomas and warts. In the form of a solution, it has a stronger effect on the skin. However, this only hurts him more. Ointment, in turn, has the same healing effect, but does it more gently. For this reason, the treatment takes longer.
Salicylic ointment fights the following skin tumors:
- warts;
- keratomas;
- spines;
- condylomas;
- filamentous papillomas.
In addition, the product is prescribed for various dermatological problems, as it has a bactericidal and wound-healing effect.
Salicylic ointment includes the following components:
- Salicylic acid. The substance is colorless crystals highly soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether and other organic solvents. It is poorly soluble in water.
- Petrolatum. Paste-like liquid, odorless and tasteless. If it undergoes complete purification, it becomes transparent, the use of partial purification gives the substance a color from black to light yellow. It is insoluble in water and alcohol, but soluble in ether and chloroform. It does not undergo saponification by alkaline solution, oxidation or decay in air. It serves as the basis for many ointments, including salicylic ointment against papillomas.
The concentration of salicylic acid in 100 g of ointment varies from 2 to 60 g, depending on the percentage of the drug. The concentration of petroleum jelly is between 98 and 40 g per 100 g of the drug, depending on the acid content.
Packed in glass or plastic containers, closed with plastic caps. The most common dosage is 2% or 3%, and the volume is 25 g. However, you can also find 1%, 5%, 10% and 60% ointment with a volume of up to 100 g.
Analogs of salicylic ointment are not direct analogues, but drugs that have a similar effect on the epidermis.
Benefits of salicylic ointment for papilloma
The drug has a very active effect on the epidermis. It kills HPV concentrated in the mutated cells of the neoplasm, helps to suppress the secretion of sebum and sweat, which reduces the possibility of additional infection of tissues by pathogens, helps to exfoliate dead cells and restore the integrity of the skin.
Salicylic ointment for papillomas has the following effects:
- Keratolytic. The drug helps to soften, dissolve and exfoliate the keratinized epidermis.
- Antiseptic. Since the acid in the ointment exposes the structure of the neoplasm, it is necessary to disinfect the treated area. The antiseptic effect is manifested by having a harmful effect on most microorganisms.
- A local irritant. The effect on the epidermis is the ability to irritate the nerve endings of the skin due to dilation of blood vessels. This improves tissue trophism and allows the drug to penetrate into the deeper layers of the tumor. It also suppresses pain impulses caused by cauterization of the growth.
- Anti-inflammatory. The wound heals and the human papilloma virus, the cause of the tumor, is fought. This allows you to prevent irritation, suppuration, swelling and other complications that may occur during skin damage.
- Regeneration. Since salicylic acid improves blood circulation at the application site, it helps to rapidly regenerate healthy cells and replace worn-out keratinized particles.
Salicylic ointment is used not only for the treatment of papillomas, it successfully fights boils, acne, helps to soften fragile growths and removes any skin inflammation.
Instructions for using salicylic ointment for papillomas
It is better to use 5% ointment to treat papillomas and vulgar warts; more than 10% ointment is suitable for combating more serious keratinized growths, such as spines.
Some sources claim that to achieve a stronger effect, it is worth using salicylic ointment with a concentration of 60% of the active substance. However, it is not recommended to do it yourself. This product is very aggressive and can seriously damage healthy skin.
Be sure to read the instructions for using salicylic ointment for papillomas to protect yourself from unwanted side effects.
Algorithm for using the product to combat thorns:
- It is better to carry out the treatment before going to bed so that the treated area is not subjected to mechanical stress during the day.
- Steam the new growth in warm, almost hot water. Scrub with a pumice stone and cut away as much dead skin cells as possible with nail clippers.
- Before removing papillomas with salicylic ointment, there is no need to further treat the skin around the tumor with protective agents, but you should avoid excessive contact of the drug with healthy skin.
- Apply a thin layer of ointment to the new growth.
- Cover the treated area with an adhesive plaster or a bandage made of several layers of bandage.
- In the morning, wash the treated area and remove dead cells overnight with a pumice stone. Do this carefully, without strong physical pressure.
- If the growth is not completely gone, repeat the treatments in the evening until the tumor is completely peeled off.
Use salicylic ointment to remove vulgar warts and papillomas:
- Wash the area to be treated with warm water and soap. Dry the new growth with a terry towel.
- Treat the skin around the tumor with a protective ointment such as zinc, petroleum jelly or any baby cream.
- According to the instructions for salicylic ointment, papillomas are carefully treated with a thin layer.
- Cover the area to be treated with adhesive tape or place a sterile dressing on it.
- After 12 hours, remove the compress, wait 10-12 hours and treat again if necessary.
The duration of using salicylic ointment in the treatment of papillomas should not exceed 21 days. If there is no effect, take a break for a few days and repeat the course.
Contraindications and side effects of salicylic ointment
There are very serious contraindications for the use of this drug, as the drug can enter the bloodstream and affect the nerve endings.
Salicylic ointment should not be used by the following people:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding. The ban is associated with the possibility of the drug affecting the fetus, as well as its penetration into breast milk and its effect on the child during lactation.
- For allergy sufferers. This product is quite aggressive. Therefore, people prone to allergic skin reactions should not use it.
- For diabetics. Because the drug can penetrate into the blood, it can affect blood sugar levels, which can negatively affect the health of people with diabetes.
- People with kidney failure. The drug can affect the body's urinary system. Therefore, it is better for people suffering from diseases of this system to use less aggressive means.
- Patients with circulatory diseases. Due to possible penetration into the blood, salicylic ointment for papillomas can affect the blood count.
- Children under 12 years old. The penetration of acid into the blood and the fact that children's skin is more prone to irritation and allergic reactions than adults can also play a role here.
It should also be noted that the use of this drug has the same restrictions applied to all medical products aimed at combating benign neoplasms. First of all, you need to make sure that this formation is benign. Moreover, the growth needs to be low swelling to allow home use.
You cannot treat papillomas on mucous membranes, near the eyes or in active hair areas. But you can use salicylic ointment for papillomas in intimate places. However, considering the characteristics of this area, it is better to use a product with a low acid concentration.
Usually, the use of ointment does not cause serious side effects. However, non-compliance with safety rules and the use of a product with a high acid concentration (for example, 60%) can have a harmful effect on the epidermis.
Possible side effects of salicylic ointment:
- Burning. Use of the product may cause a burning sensation and mild pain. As a rule, this effect disappears within a few minutes after applying the solution. It does not require additional therapy.
- Chemical burn. It is possible due to the contact of a large amount of the drug with the healthy epidermis around the neoplasm. In this case, it is necessary to rinse the treated area with plenty of warm water for 10-15 minutes and contact the surgeon.
- Scarring of tissues. This happens due to non-compliance with the rules for using this drug. With a deep chemical burn, when a large area is injured, the tissue begins to scar as it heals. In this case, it is necessary to use special absorbable creams or surgical correction of the defect.
Results of using salicylic ointment for papilloma
The effectiveness of salicylic ointment in the treatment of papillomas is quite high. Moreover, the higher the concentration of salicylic acid in the product, the higher the effectiveness. But it is directly proportional to the occurrence of side effects.
With a product with a concentration of 60%, 1-3 treatments are needed to remove a small papilloma. The thorn will disappear after 5-7 treatments.
When using an ointment with a concentration of 5-10%, the fight against a small wart will take about a week. Spine removal can take up to 21 days. Old, large, dry callus may require several courses of 3 weeks each.
Real reviews of salicylic ointment for papillomas
Since salicylic ointment is a popular medical product, it has received many reviews. However, most of the answers refer to the treatment of dermatological diseases that are not related to the manifestations of the human papillomavirus, but to the fight against acne, psoriasis and seborrhea. However, there are also those that are specifically related to the fight against papillomas.
- "I had to remove a papilloma on my leg. I started using patches. Unfortunately, this treatment did not have any effect. Then, after reading reviews about salicylic ointment for papillomas, I decided to try it. I will not hide that the cheap price of this drug also fascinated me. The first useThere was no effect for 3 days. I even decided to give up the treatment, but a friend advised me to continue. As a result, it took 2 months to remove the spine. I did not experience any unpleasant sensations during the treatments, and the effect, although slow, was there. Until I saw that the wart was goneI decided to continue. I am satisfied with the effect, I recommend the product. "
- "We decided to buy salicylic ointment to remove vulgar warts on the hands of a 14-year-old child. The treatment was very simple and did not cause discomfort to the child - there was no pain, burning and itching. It is very difficult to convince a teenager to undergo treatment, and here it was possible only because, the application took very little time and was not accompanied by pain. Before going to bed in the evening, my son washed the warts with soap, after which he applied a thin layer of ointment. The neoplasm was covered with an ordinary bactericidal disposable patch. In the morning, he took it off and went to school. In the evening, the procedure was repeated. After 5 daysthe warts softened, then dried up a little and fell off. I had a noticeable mark on my fingers, which disappeared within the next week. Inspired by the experience of the child, I decided to remove the papillomas on my neck. I consider this tool unsuitable for this area, because from the handsin contrast, the skin on the neck is delicate and there was a very strong burning sensation and pain. The effect was good, but I think it is better to use a milder product. "
- "After pregnancy, new growths appeared on my body. And papillomas, warts, keratomas, spines, many problems caused by the human papillomavirus. After I finished breastfeeding, I decided to get myself in order before returning to work after maternity leave. I started with a splint on my leg, because it was not onlyit was ugly and also made it difficult to walk. It took me a month to treat the papilloma with salicylic ointment. The other lumps disappeared within 2 weeks. But unlike the leg treatment, there was discomfort - it was quite hot and itchy. Fortunately, there were no scars. ".
Salicylic ointment has proven itself as a remedy against benign tumors caused by HPV. Undeniable advantages include the fact that applications can be performed at home, the product is affordable, and salicylic ointment is available in pharmacies without a prescription. It is safe and painless to use if the instructions are strictly followed. The disadvantages of this drug are that its use is quite long.