Salicylic ointment is a medical preparation containing salicylic acid, which is used to treat various types of benign epidermal neoplasms, whether papillomas, warts, condylomas, thorns, keratomas, hooks.
Description and composition of salicylic ointment
Salicylic ointment is a fairly effective drug designed to combat tumors caused by the human papillomavirus. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used only externally.
To remove papillomas and warts, salicylic acid, which is the main component of the ointment, is most often used. In solution form, it has a stronger effect on the skin. However, it also hurts him more. The ointment, in turn, demonstrates the same healing effect, but more gently. For this reason, processing takes longer.
Salicylic ointment fights the following types of skin tumors:
- The warts;
- keratomas;
- thorns;
- condyloma;
- filamentous papillomas.
In addition, the product is prescribed for various dermatological problems, as it has a bactericidal and healing effect.
The composition of salicylic ointment includes the following components:
- Salicylic acid. The substance consists of colorless crystals that are highly soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether and other organic solvents. It is poorly soluble in water.
- Vaseline. A pasty, odorless and tasteless liquid. If it undergoes complete purification, it becomes translucent; the use of partial purification gives the substance a color ranging from black to pale yellow. Insoluble in water and alcohol, but soluble in ether and chloroform. It is not subject to saponification with alkaline solution, oxidation or going rancid in air. Serves as the basis for many ointments, including salicylic ointment against papillomas.
The concentration of salicylic acid in 100 g of ointment ranges from 2 to 60 g, depending on the percentage of the drug. The concentration of petroleum jelly is 98-40 g per 100 g of medicine, also depending on the acid content.
Packaged in glass or plastic containers, closed with plastic lids. The most common dosage is 2% or 3% and the volume is 25 g, but you can also find ointments at 1%, 5%, 10% and 60% on sale, with a volume of up to 100g.
Analogues of salicylic ointment are not direct analogues, but drugs with similar effects on the epidermis.
The benefits of salicylic ointment for papillomas
The drug has a very active effect on the epidermis. Kills HPV, concentrated in mutated cells of the neoplasm, helps to suppress the secretion of sebum and sweat, which reduces the risk of further infection of tissues with pathogens, helps to exfoliate dead cells and restore theintegrity of the skin.
Salicylic ointment for papillomas has the following effects:
- Keratolytic. The drug helps soften, dissolve and exfoliate keratinized epidermis.
- Antiseptic. Since the acid contained in the ointment opens the structure of the neoplasm, it is necessary to disinfect the treated area. The antiseptic effect is manifested by a harmful effect on most microorganisms.
- Local irritant. The effect on the epidermis is the ability to irritate the nerve endings of the skin due to the expansion of blood vessels. This improves tissue trophism and allows the drug to penetrate into the deeper layers of the tumor. It also removes painful impulses resulting from cauterization of the growth.
- Anti-inflammatory. The wound heals and the cause of the tumor, the human papillomavirus, is fought. This allows you to avoid irritation, suppuration, swelling and other complications that can arise when the skin is damaged.
- Regenerating. Due to the fact that salicylic acid improves blood circulation at the site of application, this promotes the rapid restoration of healthy cells and their replacement of exfoliated keratinized particles.
Salicylic ointment is used not only for the treatment of papillomas, it successfully fights boils, acne, helps soften calluses and eliminates any skin inflammation.
Instructions for use of salicylic ointment for papillomas
To treat papillomas and common warts, it is best to use 5% ointment; to combat more serious keratinized growths, such as thorns, an ointment of more than 10% is suitable.
Some sources claim that to achieve a stronger effect, it is worth using salicylic ointment with a concentration of active substance of 60%. However, it is strongly not recommended to do this yourself. This product is very aggressive and can cause serious damage to healthy skin.
To protect yourself from unwanted side effects, be sure to read the instructions for using salicylic ointment for papillomas.
Algorithm for using the product to combat thorns:
- It is best to carry out the treatment before bedtime, so that the treated area is not exposed to mechanical stress during the day.
- Steam the new growth in warm, almost hot water. Scrub with a pumice stone and cut off as many dead cells as possible with nail scissors.
- Before removing papillomas with salicylic ointment, it is not necessary to additionally 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 bandage or a dressing consisting of several layers of dressing.
- In the morning, wash the treated area and scrape off dead cells overnight with a pumice stone. Do it carefully, without strong physical pressure.
- If the growth has not completely disappeared, repeat evening treatments until the tumor completely peels off.
Using salicylic ointment to remove common warts and papillomas:
- Wash the area to be treated with lukewarm 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 apply a sterile dressing over it.
- After 12 hours, remove the compress, wait 10-12 hours and reprocess if necessary.
The period of use of 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 resume the course.
Contraindications and side effects of salicylic ointment
Since the drug can enter the bloodstream and affect nerve endings, there are very strict contraindications to the use of this drug.
Salicylic ointment should not be used by the following people:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding. The ban is associated with the possibility of the drug influencing the fetus, as well as its penetration into breast milk and its impact on the child during breastfeeding.
- For allergy sufferers. This product is quite aggressive. Therefore, people prone to allergic skin reactions should avoid using it.
- For diabetic patients. Because the medication can enter the bloodstream, it can affect blood sugar levels, which can harm the health of people with diabetes.
- People suffering from kidney failure. The medicine may have an effect on the body's urinary system. Therefore, it is better for people suffering from diseases of this system to resort to less aggressive means.
- Patients with circulatory diseases. Due to possible penetration into the blood, salicylic ointment for papillomas may affect the blood count.
- Children under 12 years old. The penetration of acid into the bloodstream and the fact that children's skin is more prone to irritation and allergic reactions than adults' skin may also play a role here.
It should also be noted that the use of this medication is subject to the same restrictions that apply to all medical products intended to combat benign tumors. First of all, you need to make sure that this formation is benign. In addition, to be used at home, the growth must be low tumorigenic.
You cannot treat papillomas on the mucous membranes, near the eyes or in areas of active hair. But you can use salicylic ointment for papillomas on intimate places. But it is better to use a product with a low acid concentration, taking into account the characteristics of this area.
Usually, the use of ointment does not cause serious side effects. But non-compliance with safety rules and the use of a product with a high concentration of acid (for example 60%) can have a harmful effect on the epidermis.
Possible side effects of salicylic ointment:
- Burning. Using the product may cause a burning sensation and slight pain. Typically, this effect disappears a few minutes after applying the solution. Does not require additional therapy.
- Chemical burn. Possible due to contact of a large amount of the drug on the healthy epidermis around the neoplasm. In this case, it is necessary to rinse the treated area thoroughly with warm water for 10 to 15 minutes and contact a surgeon.
- Tissue scarring. This happens due to non-compliance with the rules for using this medication. In the case of 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 papillomas
The effectiveness of salicylic ointment in the treatment of papillomas is quite high. Additionally, the higher the concentration of salicylic acid in the product, the higher its effectiveness. However, it is directly proportional to the occurrence of side effects.
To eliminate a small papilloma with a 60% concentrated product, 1 to 3 treatments will be necessary. The thorn will disappear in 5 to 7 treatments.
When using ointment at a concentration of 5-10%, it will take about a week to fight a small wart. Spinal removal can take 21 days. An old, large and dry callus may require several treatments of 3 weeks each.
Real reviews of salicylic ointment for papillomas
Salicylic ointment has received a lot of criticism because it is a popular medical product. However, most of the answers concern the treatment of dermatological conditions not associated with the manifestations of human papillomavirus, but concern the fight against acne, psoriasis and seborrhea. However, there are also those that specifically concern the fight against papillomas.
- "I needed to remove a papilloma on my foot. I started by using patches. Unfortunately, this treatment had no effect. Then, after reading reviews about salicylic ointment for papillomas, I decided to try it. I will not hide that I was also attracted by the cheap price of this drug. The first 3 days of use there was absolutely no effect. I even decided to abandon treatment, but a friend advised me to continue. As a result, it took 2 months to remove the spine. I did not feel any unpleasant sensations during the treatments, and the effect, although slow, was there. So I decided to continue until my wart disappeared. I am satisfied with the effect, I recommend the product.
- "We decided to buy salicylic ointment to remove common warts from the hands of a 14-year-old boy. The treatment was very simple and did not cause any discomfort to the child - there was no pain, burning or itching. It is very difficult to persuade a teenager to undergo treatment, and here it was possible only because the application took very little time and was not accompanied by pain. In the evening, before going to bed, 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 days, the warts softened, then dried up a little and fell off. There was a barely visible mark on my fingers, which disappeared the following week. Inspired by the child's experience, I decided to remove the papillomas from my neck. I consider this remedy unsuitable for this area because, unlike the hands, the skin on the neck is delicate and there is a very strong burning and painful sensation. The effect was good, but I think it's better to use a gentler product.
- "After pregnancy, new growths appeared on my body. And papillomas, warts, keratomas, thorns, a whole bunch of problems caused by the human papillomavirus. Once breastfeeding was over, before returning to work after maternity leave, I decided to put myself back in order. I started with a foot splint because it was not only ugly, but also made walking difficult. It took me a month to treat her with salicylic ointment against papillomas. Other tumors disappeared within 2 weeks. But unlike the treatment of the foot, there was discomfort - it was quite hot and itchy. Fortunately, there were no traces.
Salicylic ointment has proven itself as a remedy for benign tumors caused by HPV. The undeniable advantages include the fact that applications can be carried out at home, the product is affordable, and salicylic ointment is available in pharmacies without a prescription. If the instructions are strictly followed, its use is safe and painless. The disadvantages of this drug include the fact that its use is quite long.