Spine in a child: how to remove, treatment, causes

A bunion or wart on the foot is the most painful type. At first, the discomfort from the spines is comparable to walking barefoot on small pebbles. Growing in the epithelial tissue, the spines begin to put pressure on the nerve endings, causing sharp pain when walking. A person becomes disabled; he cannot move independently. Therefore, plantar growths need to be removed as early as possible.

Causes

Such growths have a viral etymology. However, infection with papillomavirus manifests itself in the form of skin defects. Often the patient is unaware that he is a carrier of HPV. The virus can “dormant” from several months to several years. As long as the body's defenses are sufficient to resist infection. Decreased immunity and the appearance of unwanted growths are provoked by factors such as:

Past respiratory disease;
Hormonal changes;
Exacerbation of chronic diseases;
Physical or mental stress;
Insomnia;
Chemotherapy;
Taking steroids and antibiotics.

The risk group includes people who neglect foot hygiene, visit saunas, swimming pools without rubber slippers, use other people's bath accessories, and try on shoes in a store without a nylon stocking.

The appearance of a spine or other neoplasm requires mandatory consultation with a specialist. Although most people repeatedly encounter warts in themselves or their loved ones and believe that they can make a diagnosis on their own, this is not entirely true. Only a qualified specialist can make an accurate diagnosis, eliminating oncogenic risks and offer the most effective way to get rid of growths on the legs.

Prevention of infection

Prevention of spines in a child involves hygiene, healthy eating, and strengthening the immune system.

Do not walk barefoot in swimming pools, bathhouses, or on beaches.
Don't wear other people's shoes. If this happens, you need to wash things thoroughly.
Walk only in comfortable and appropriately sized shoes.
Proper nutrition.
Keep shoes and feet clean.
Strengthen immunity. Eliminate the reasons that reduce it.
Try to avoid injury to the skin.

Spine in a child is a serious problem. You shouldn’t wait until the wart goes away on its own, but take action right away. It must be remembered that thorny is a benign neoplasm, which in rare cases can progress and develop into a malignant tumor. In addition, this growth causes a lot of inconvenience and pain, which ruin a person’s life.

To prevent the appearance of thorns on the surface of the skin of the foot, as well as between the toes, it is necessary to follow simple rules of prevention daily, which include the following:

follow the basic rules of foot hygiene, wash them every evening with warm water and soap, dry them with a clean, dry towel, and wash your socks;
avoid visiting public baths, swimming pools, showers, saunas, or protect the skin of your feet with rubber slippers, which will limit contact of the epidermis with the infected floor;
in the summer, do not walk barefoot;
wear only your own shoes, not allowing others to put them on;
promptly treat diseases of internal organs with a chronic course, which systematically reduce the protective function of the immune system;
at least once every 12 months. take a course of taking vitamin and mineral complexes that strengthen the body and increase resistance to viral and bacterial infections.

In order to minimize the likelihood of infection of the skin surface of the feet with the papilloma virus, it is recommended to limit communication with people who have flat or hanging warts on other parts of the body (fingers, mammary glands, armpits, neck, back, intimate area).

Methods for treating plantar growths

Papillomavirus and the neoplasms it causes have been studied quite well. Therefore, there are a sufficient number of methods for getting rid of such a nuisance as growths on the foot. All these methods can be divided into three categories:

Radical removal in the clinic;
Medicinal burning at home;
Traditional methods of treatment.

Many people are afraid of medical manipulations, preferring traditional recipes or home treatment using pharmaceutical drugs. Most patients consider home removal of tumors less traumatic and painful.

However, cauterization of spines with pharmaceutical preparations that contain aggressive alkalis or acids is a risky undertaking that requires careful and strict adherence to the instructions. Otherwise, consequences in the form of burns and pain cannot be avoided. In addition, the effectiveness of such treatment cannot be compared with the removal of thorn in a specialized clinic staffed by professionals who value their reputation.

Important! Self-medication without clarifying the diagnosis increases the risk of transformation of the growth into an oncological neoplasm.

You should consult a doctor immediately if:

The spine is painful to touch;
Discomfort (itching or burning) occurs in the damaged area;
The growth begins to grow sharply and changes shape;
Subsidiary neoplasms appear;
The wart has been injured;
Spores or pus are released from the damaged area.

Diagnosis of a spine on the leg

A bunion on the foot, which can be eliminated through complex treatment of an extraneous neoplasm, is easily identified by a dermatologist during an external examination of the surface of the foot.

In addition, the doctor may prescribe the following types of diagnostic examination:

collection of venous blood for biochemical analysis and isolation of the HPV strain;
biopsy of a piece of tumor neoplasm with further histological examination to exclude the factor of wart degeneration into skin cancer;
donation of capillary blood from the ring finger for its clinical analysis;
collecting morning urine to perform a general analysis and obtain information about the patient’s overall health status;
examination of the deeper layers of the epidermis in the area where the spine is located, as well as studying its cellular structure using a special device - a dermatoscope (the diagnostic process is carried out by a specialized specialist, a dermatologist or oncologist).

The final stage of the examination is the collection of swabs from the surface of the foot in the area where the wart is located, as well as between the toes. This is necessary in order to exclude the possible presence of a fungal infection, as well as its pathogenic effect on the health of the skin. Diagnostics in a private clinic will cost on average 2000-2500 rubles. In a public hospital, external examination services, as well as the above tests, are provided free of charge.

The doctor will conduct a series of studies and then make the necessary appointments.

Since the papillomavirus has many strains, an HPV test is performed to identify the type of pathogen to determine the most effective therapy.
Since the depth of the growth shaft cannot be visually determined, an ultrasound is performed - this will help the doctor during removal of the tumor.
The spine can degenerate into cancer, so dermatoscopy is performed to identify malignant cells.

In order to remove a wart, minimally invasive techniques can be used for children - cryodestruction, electrocoagulation, radio wave, laser therapy. In rare cases, they resort to a more radical method - excision with a scalpel.

Chemical reagents can also be used - these are substances (solutions) with a necrotizing effect that burn out the growth along with the root. They are used to remove core tumors at home, but as for children, it is unlikely that children will be able to endure until the end of the procedure, much less allow it to be repeated (more than one application is required). Therefore, it is better to carry out treatment in a specialized institution.

After removal, antiviral and immunostimulating therapy is prescribed.

Removal of spines in a specialized clinic

Medical centers offer their clients the following ways to combat unwanted growths on the legs:

Laser destruction - wart tissue is evaporated layer by layer under the influence of a laser beam. An effective, safe, but expensive treatment method;
Electrocoagulation - a high-frequency current closed in a loop cauterizes the neoplasm. A painful method that requires mandatory anesthesia;
Surgical excision . Under local anesthesia, the surgeon uses a scalpel to cut out the growth and adjacent tissue. A very traumatic method, used only for overgrown growths or when there is a risk of malignancy of the formation;
Cryodestruction - cauterization of the spine with liquid nitrogen.

Unconventional methods

Getting rid of a thorn on the leg is possible with the help of external medications, folk remedies, as well as other methods that involve the radical removal of a foreign tumor.

This disease in children can be treated using a variety of methods, but all under the supervision of a specialist, the attending physician. The most common is simple therapy - it lasts a long time. Of course, it has also happened in medicine that the growths gradually disappeared on their own after some time, but it is not recommended to wait and hope.

If a child’s spine disappears on its own, without any treatment, parents should rejoice, because this phenomenon indicates: the patient has a strong immune system, which protects the body from the virus.

If a child has just developed a spike on his heel, he may not notice it right away. If the wart begins to hurt very much and prevents the child from walking, then you have started the disease and now it has reached a more advanced stage.

What can be distinguished among physical methods of treatment:

laser therapy;
freezing with liquid nitrogen;
electricity.

These are modern methods for removing a spine on a child’s foot. Read more about each below.

If the pathological growth goes deep enough into the tissue, mechanical intervention cannot be avoided. Today, minimally invasive techniques are used to remove spines for children.

Electrocoagulation

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. A high-frequency current passes through a special electrode, which burns out the build-up layer by layer. At the same time, coagulation of blood vessels is carried out during the treatment, so the risk of bleeding and infection is minimal. An inconspicuous white scar remains at the site of exposure.

Cryotherapy

Before the manipulation, the affected area is anesthetized. The spike is treated with liquid nitrogen (temperature almost -200 degrees). The growth lightens, becomes dense, and the skin around it may turn red. After some time, the inflammation goes away, and dropsy forms at the site of the wart. Usually, 10-12 days after exposure, the neoplasm becomes covered with a scab and disappears.

Laser therapy

During the procedure, the doctor can adjust the depth of exposure; the laser beam dries out the tumor with the rod layer by layer. After just a few minutes it is completely eliminated.

This is a non-contact method. The radio knife cuts through the tissue and, as it were, evaporates the cells of the growth, penetrating into the very depths. During the procedure, coagulation of blood vessels occurs, which eliminates bleeding and infection. After the intervention, minor traces remain, which disappear over time. There are no relapses.

The use of folk remedies is not always justified; they can either help or aggravate the problem. For children, it is better not to resort to unconventional treatment - turn to official medicine.

Beat a raw egg a little and pour 50 ml of vinegar into it, put the mixture in the refrigerator for a day. Then add 20 grams of fat and mix. The product is applied to the wart and left for 1 hour, then washed off. After this, it is recommended to lubricate the treated area with cream.
A cut clove of garlic is applied to the spine, secured with a bandage and left overnight. The same manipulation can be done with fresh horseradish.
Every day for 1 month, celandine juice is dripped onto the spine (avoid contact with healthy skin).
Vinegar is mixed with flour to form a dense dough. The resulting product is applied over the growth and secured with a bandage. The procedure is carried out before bedtime.
Grind burdock and nettle leaves, apply the product under the bandage, leave overnight.

In order to completely overcome the spine, it is necessary to remove its root; it is quite difficult to control this process on your own, so the most reasonable solution would be to contact a specialist.

A spine is an unpleasant, painful formation on the leg. The growth, which resembles a callus, is actually one of the varieties of warts vulgaris.

The tubercle interferes, and severe pain is felt when walking. In some cases, the spine can be easily damaged. The injured surface easily becomes infected. Dermatologists advise removing the thorn without waiting for unpleasant consequences.

Causes

What causes spines? The reason is the action of human papillomavirus types 1 and 4. The pathogen easily enters the body through damaged skin of the feet.

Sometimes the virus lies dormant in the body and does not reveal its presence in any way. Provoking factors trigger the activation mechanism, the “aggressor” begins to act.

The main reason for the awakening of the papilloma virus is a decrease in immunity for various reasons. Weaken the body's defenses:

frequent stress;
hypothermia/overheating;
long-term use of antibiotics;
lack of sleep;
lack of vitamins;
chronic diseases.

A benign formation at the base of the big toe and on the heel often appears after prolonged wearing of tight, uncomfortable shoes. Abrasions, calluses, and separation of the epidermis are formed. The virus finds a weak spot and comes out.

Features of the disease:

a benign tumor penetrates into the deep layers of tissue;
It is difficult to completely remove a type of wart vulgaris;
a small piece of “thread” remaining in the thickness of the dermis, when favorable conditions occur, causes a relapse.

Take note:

Dermatologists consider the spine to be the most complex manifestation of the human papilloma virus. For this reason, the appearance of strange calluses that are painful to the touch should alert you;
An early visit to a dermatologist will allow timely diagnosis of the spine on the foot and removal of it. The deeper the plantar formation grows, the more difficult it is to get rid of it;
feet and toes are places that are constantly subject to friction and pressure; it is always warm and often humid here. Ideal conditions are created for the growth of warts. The number of plantar formations can increase several times. Removing warts on the feet is a complex and time-consuming task;
remember: injury to painful tubercles often causes the appearance of cancer cells in a benign formation.

Remove the splint on your heel in time and you will forget about the risk of cancer. Serious consequences will only be caused by your negligence and inattention.

Symptoms and signs

How the spine develops and looks:

after the human papilloma virus penetrates the skin of the feet, a benign tumor resembles a callus;
At first, the formation of a yellowish tint is small, but over time it grows;
the process proceeds rapidly - from the appearance of a “callus” to a well-recognized plantar wart, it often takes no more than 14 days;
the tubercle is slightly exfoliated;
dark “threads” appear in the center;
after a few days, a type of benign formation looks like a circle with defined edges, in the middle there are numerous threads of almost black color, like in the center of a poppy flower;
sometimes the shade of the “seedlings” is not so rich: light brown, brown, yellowish-brown;
between the center and the rest of the formation there is a small groove ringing the middle;
the average size of a benign tumor is about 1 cm;
with constant exposure to provoking factors and poor foot hygiene, warts quickly grow and cover not only the fingers, but also the convex part of the sole;
Every step causes severe pain.

Conclusion! Contact a dermatologist as soon as possible.

How to remove a spine

How to get rid of a thorn on your foot? Take note:

most dermatologists recommend removing a benign formation before it grows deeper;
the later the operation takes place, the less chance of success;
Single elements are easier to deduce than multiple elements. This statement 100% applies to spikes.

Modern removal methods

laser destruction. An effective method will get rid of even “deep” warts. The procedure is minimally painful and the postoperative period is short. Quite expensive, but effective method. Another advantage is that benign lesions can be preserved for histology. This analysis allows us to exclude the development of a cancerous tumor;
cauterization with liquid nitrogen. Used less frequently. After the procedure, pain is felt for a long time, and there is a risk of damage to healthy tissue located in neighboring areas. Relapses occur;
thermocoagulation. Sometimes corroded tubercles on the feet and toes are removed using high-frequency currents. The method is effective, but is suitable for removing the tumor body in the initial stage, until the “threads” have grown in depth and breadth.

Conclusion: the most suitable way to remove the spine is laser destruction.

Folk remedies and recipes

Despite doctors' recommendations, many people try to remove warts on their feet on their own. It is almost impossible to convince such patients of the need for surgery. They believe in the miraculous power of onions, horseradish and vinegar.

Do you recognize yourself in this collective image? None of the doctors' arguments convince you? Try one of the home methods. Perhaps he will help you in the initial stage.

Treatment of spine at home:

horseradish. Spread your legs. Apply horseradish pulp, grated on a fine grater, to the affected area. Wrap your foot in cellophane and put on warm socks. Carry out the procedure in the evening. The course is until the benign formation is reabsorbed;
raw potatoes. They say that a compress with grated potatoes helps get rid of painful swelling. Apply the crushed mass to each wart, cover with cotton wool, and secure with a bandage. Carry out the procedure in the morning and evening. After 2 weeks, the skin may clear up;
onion vinegar. Take an onion, chop it, pour vinegar over it. Let it sit for a couple of hours. In the evening, make a hole in a wide patch equal to the diameter of the plantar wart and glue it to the desired location. Lubricate the tubercle with the onion-vinegar mixture and cover with a second plaster. The result will be a kind of “closed sandwich”. Remove in the morning and repeat the procedure in the evening. Number of sessions – 3;
vinegar dough. Do you want to get rid of painful formations, but don’t want to suffer with a patch? Make it simpler: mix vinegar, flour, prepare a thin dough. Apply the mixture to the affected area. Vinegar and onion act faster, but vinegar dough is easier to handle;
nettle. Collect young nettles that do not burn your hands and chop the leaves. Apply the mixture to the affected area and wrap a washed, slightly cut burdock leaf on top. Wear wool socks over the top. In the morning, the tumor body should come out along with the green mass.

Removing spines with nitrogen

Cryodestruction is the most popular way to combat growths on the foot. The insidiousness of the spine is the discomfort it can cause to its “owner” when walking. The growth of a wart in depth leads to pinching of nerve endings and the appearance of pain.

Most often, the spine is located on the pads or at the base of the fingers, as well as on the heels. When a doctor burns the spine with liquid nitrogen, the patient may experience discomfort. This is due to the need for additional pressure on the growth and the duration of the cryodestruction procedure.

Despite the fact that the procedure for freezing wart tissue with liquid nitrogen is often well tolerated, there are contraindications for this method. These include:

Hypersensitivity to nitrogen;
Epilepsy;
High blood pressure;
The appearance of an allergic reaction on the skin near the tumor;
Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
Acute respiratory disease;
Fever.

Appearance and locations

At the initial stage, a spine in children looks like a small round or oval lump on the skin with a smooth surface. It doesn't hurt. As the wart progresses, it grows up to 2 cm and begins to cause inconvenience. The wart at stage 2 rises above healthy areas, has a denser structure and a clearly defined contour.

The color varies from yellow to greyish, often with dark spots - these are clogged capillaries. Upon closer examination, thread-like formations can be seen inside the growth. Warts often appear in groups. Among them, the largest one stands out - the maternal one. When it is deleted, its children also disappear.

The neoplasm has different zones of location on the human limbs. The areas of greatest friction or pressure suffer the most. The spike appears:

on the heel of the foot;
on other parts of the foot, it is especially common to have a spine on a child’s toe;
on the hands (near the nails, on the fingertips, between the fingers).

Stages of cryodestruction

The freezing procedure is carried out by a specialist using an applicator (a long wooden stick with a cotton tip or a special cryo-applicator with a reservoir for the active substance). A small amount of nitrogen is applied to the growth for thirty seconds.

Immediately after cauterization with nitrogen, the growth turns white and becomes hard. An hour and a half after the manipulation, the damaged area turns red and swelling may appear. Tomorrow a bubble forms, which gradually dissolves over seven to ten days. The wound formed as a result of freezing is covered with a crust of dried blood and lymph.

For ten to fifteen days, the crust will act as a natural bactericidal dressing, after which it will disappear on its own. Do not scratch or peel off the crust. This can lead to scarring and secondary infection in the wound.

Wound care during the healing period

The main care in the postoperative period is to take good care of the damaged area. The bubble that appears after cryodestruction must not be pierced, injured or wet.

A punctured blister or torn crust can become an “entry gate” for pathogens to enter the wound. The development of a secondary infection at the site of the removed tumor may be accompanied by an inflammatory process, redness of the skin around the wound, and purulent discharge. In this case, you cannot do without medical help.

Treat it twice a day with potassium permanganate or a 2% solution of salicylic alcohol for seven to ten days.

Papillomavirus is highly contagious. The spread of infection can be prevented by excluding the patient’s contact with family members for the period of treatment and providing him with personal hygiene items (towel, washcloth, soap).

Results of cryodestruction, its advantages and disadvantages

Like any surgical intervention, cryodestruction has positive and negative sides. The advantages of the procedure are:

Affordable cost compared to laser, radio wave removal;
Lack of preparatory procedures;
Short-term manipulation;
Preventing the spread of the virus to the epithelium adjacent to the growth;
Absence of scars with a professionally performed procedure and proper postoperative care.

Disadvantages of cryodestruction of spines:

Unpleasant sensations during the procedure;
The effectiveness of treatment depends on the qualifications of the doctor, his ability to assess the depth and strength of the required impact;
A repeat procedure may be required.

How to recognize

The spine in a child, as well as in an adult, is usually localized on the foot. Externally, the growth resembles a callus, but there are some characteristic differences:

Intense pain - any pressure on the affected area feels like a thorn prick (hence the name).
Heterogeneous surface - the spine consists of many hard processes at the ends, which have black dots, these are clogged vessels. You can see them by steaming the growth and removing the top layer of rough skin.
Funnel-shaped - thread-like processes go into the depressions located in the central part of the growth, which form the rod or root of the wart itself. The longer the thorn on the finger remains untreated, the deeper it will begin to grow and the more intense the pain.

Initially, the neoplasm does not cause any discomfort; it is just a small nodule that appears on the surface of the skin. As it progresses, it increases, the skin on the surface becomes rougher and acquires a yellowish tint. The wart itself becomes dense, painful, and a roll of keratinized scales forms around it.

Parents should not try to remove the growth themselves - careless manipulations can provoke malignancy and then the spine will turn into cancer. Don't risk your baby's health, contact a specialist.

Reviews

Of course, there are as many opinions as there are people. And reviews of cryodestruction, as of any manipulation, depend on the pain threshold, the patient’s history of diseases, a tendency to allergic reactions, and even mood.

Most patients who choose cryodestruction as a method of getting rid of spines note:

Pain and discomfort during the procedure and for two to three days after it;
High effectiveness of treatment with liquid nitrogen;
Repeated manipulation in most cases may be necessary to remove deep, old growths;
The formation of a bubble and the need to treat it are the main disadvantages of the procedure;
Affordable price;
No scars or scars.

The key to successful treatment is the choice of clinic and specialist. The procedure itself, the healing process, the duration of epithelial restoration, and the appearance of healed skin depend on the doctor’s qualifications.

Possible complications

Despite all the positive characteristics of the method, the possibility of developing postoperative complications cannot be ruled out. They are often the result of insufficient quality of the procedure. This:

long healing period, infection or inflammation, provoked by violation of the requirements for antiseptic treatment;
the possibility of pigmentation forming in a problem area of the skin;
the likelihood of a burn caused by violation of the requirements for setting up the laser device;
allergic manifestations to anesthetic drugs;
scar formation (extremely rare).

More often, such complications arise when removing old growths that grow deep into the tissue, as a result of which the traumatic factor provokes bleeding with the ensuing consequences. With superficial growths, complications are practically not observed.

Therefore, you should not delay the procedure for removing the spine, and at the first negative manifestations, immediately seek help from specialists.

Externally, these are dense papules (nodules) from 1 to 10 mm or more, which as they grow acquire a rough, rough surface.

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Common warts can be single or multiple. Their favorite location is the hands and fingers (including periungual and subungual), less often - the face, forearms, and shins.

2. Flat warts - the color of the surrounding skin, slightly raised above the surface. Very often the rashes are multiple and small in size (1-5 mm). Usually located on the back of the hands, face, forearms and shins. Laser removal of flat warts allows you to achieve maximum cosmetic effect, which is especially important for open areas of the body - face, hands.

3. Plantar warts They are hard formations with a diameter of 1 mm to several centimeters, with clear boundaries and a rough, rough surface. Removal of plantar warts with a laser They can be light brown, whitish in color, with translucent black dots. According to the name, they are located on the plantar surfaces of the feet and can be single or multiple.

Common (vulgar) warts:

Flat warts:

Plantar warts: