What you should know About Laser Wart Removal
Having warts has always been regarded as unattractive and unappealing, which leads many who have them seek help getting rid of them with laser wart removal. There are pros and cons of using this method for eliminating warts that should be known beforehand.
Warts and their cause
Normally, skin is smooth and even, but sometimes a rough lump of hardened skin appears to signal the development of a wart. For many years, the innocuous toad bore the blame for causing warts, likely due to their own bumpy skinned features. However, warts are actually caused by a virus called human papilloma; HPV, for short. As with any type of germ, HPV has an ideal environment when the area is moist and warm. When tiny cuts or scratches occur on the hands or feet, the virus sees these as an open invitation to move right on in and set up shop. Normally, the body’s natural defense called the immune system will stop the virus in its tracks, but occasionally the virus is able to develop into a wart. Since there is generally no itching, irritation or redness other than that which is caused from the healing of the wound, often people are unaware that the virus has invaded until the appearance of the lump.
There are several types of wart that may appear: common, flat, plantar and filiform warts. Most frequently, these skin lumps develop on the feet or hands, but can actually occur anywhere on the body. All of these warts will eventually go away without aid, although passage of time is required.
Treating warts
Most people seek methods of eliminating them from the skin for cosmetic reasons, but there are also cases when the wart can be the cause of pain, such as the plantar variety that occurs on the bottoms of feet. Numerous home remedies have been tried; one, covering the wart with regular, every day duct tape, actually is very effective and can be tried without consulting a doctor. Over the counter medications are available, with reasonable effectiveness over time. When these methods fail, your doctor can recommend a few different treatments, depending on the wart; cryosurgery, which freezes the wart to kill the virus and physical surgery which can leave a scar. More obstinate warts may have laser wart removal recommended in order to fully eliminate the lump and the virus causing it.
Laser treatment
Laser is an effective means of treating warts that resist all other forms of treatment. Two main variations of laser surgery are used; pulsed die laser and carbon dioxide laser.
- Pulsed die laser focuses on hemoglobin in the blood vessels that feed the virus and thereby the wart. The intense heat closes off the vessels; serving to deprive the lump of essential nutrients. The wart dies and falls off eventually. Pulsed die laser carries a high success rate for plantar warts.
- Carbon dioxide laser works differently. First, the laser is used to slice away skin around the wart to expose its core, and then the base is “vaporized” by the carbon dioxide laser. This method is also highly effective, with absolutely no reoccurrence noted. Scarring is minimal, and little to no development of infection after the surgery has been documented.
The use of laser wart removal is most commonly seen in cases of genital and plantar warts. While effective, the procedure is costly. In addition, there may be residual pain experienced for 7 to l0 days around the affected area. As with any type of surgery, there is always a risk for infection. Even so, the success of these types of procedures may be the most appealing to someone who has been unable to eradicate warts. Knowing the pros and cons of the laser surgery can help the individual to make a more informed decision.