Wart Removal
Wart Treatment Options
Wart removal is not always necessary as warts often clear up on their own. However, you may want to consider
wart treatment to prevent the spreading of the highly contagious virus that causes them - the human papillomavirus (HPV).
There are various over-the-counter wart removal treatments that are usually effective in treating warts. If home treatments are not effective, you should see your doctor or health care provider for alternative wart removal treatments such as:
- Freezing: Freezing is a type of wart treatment that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart and eventually destroy it. The freezing procedure is usually effective but may require multiple treatments.
- Applying Cantharidin: Cantharidin is a chemical that your doctor can use to remove warts. Your doctor paints the substance on the wart and covers it with a bandage. This process is completely painless. It causes skin blisters around the wart that lift it off your skin so your doctor can remove in painlessly; however, the skin blisters can cause discomfort.
- Minor Surgery: Your doctor may choose to do a minor surgery to cut away the wart. This wart removal process can be very painful and may leave a scar.
- Laser Surgery: In the most severe cases of warts that have resisted all other treatment, laser surgery can be performed. It is often expensive and painful and may leave a scar.
Doctors usually start with the least painful wart removal treatment. If that is ineffective, the next step up may be necessary. Surgery is never the first option.
