The Ease of Wart Removal by Freezing
Warts can be removed several different ways, but one of the most common is wart removal by freezing. This method is also referred to as cryosurgery, a method of surgery used when freezing something is involved in the process. This process is a two step process, and it’s something that you can ask your doctor about if you are concerned about get your wart removed. Naturally, the first step in the process is deciding that you want to do something about it.
Why is Cryotherapy the Preferred Choice?
Wart removal by freezing is the preferred method simply because it is easy to do, and it is used because it prevents damage to the skin surrounding the wart. The freezing is done with liquid nitrogen, so it’s non-invasive and virtually no risk of infection. There is very little follow-up required unless the wart in this case requires additional treatments to get rid of it all. In the case where your challenge is “common warts”, then there are self-treatment kits that you can find in almost any drug store, but if they are more troublesome you will want to talk directly with your doctor first.
How to Identify A Wart
Identifying that you have a wart would be wise before investing in any home treatments. Warts are usually bumpy and appear white or cloudy in color. Sometimes, you may even see a small black spot. Talk to your doctor right away so that you can come to conclusion on what this may be, or your doctor may go ahead and refer you to a dermatologist if you don’t have one already.
The Treatment Options for Warts
Aside from wart removal by freezing, you can opt for an in home treatment if your doctor thinks it’s okay. There are several over-the-counter options you can look at in the drug store, and if you aren’t sure which one is right for you, you can always talk to your pharmacist. These treatments are usually a form of liquid that you would put on the wart, but they aren’t as cold as the liquid nitrogen that a dermatologist would use. In the case that you have a small wart, this might work fine, but if it’s larger and more troublesome you will want to check with a doctor first.
If you are planning on seeing a doctor, and you believe that cryotherapy is right for you, then you may want to begin putting some salicylic acid on the wart every night at bed time. It is usually advised that you wash your hands with warm, soapy water before adding the acid to the wart, then using a special adhesive pad to cover it and keep the acid on the wart and to keep it from rubbing off. This will make the wart more pliable, and allow the doctor to scrape part of the top layer off. This is usually best as it will allow the cryotherapy to get deeper to the source of the problem.
The cryotherapy is usually sprayed onto the wart, so there really isn’t a “surgical procedure” when it comes to cryotherapy. This can be done in the office, so it’s very simple to do. Usually the only side effect is the extreme cold feeling or a slight burning sensation from the liquid nitrogen, but it will go away within minutes.
Your doctor will warn you not to pick at the wart. This won’t help your situation, so try to leave it alone. The freezing treatments will cause a bubble or blister like formation over the wart, so it’s important to let it run its course. The purpose of the treatment is to get the wart to dry up and fall off on its own and any interference with this could really slow down the process of healing for you.
Many patients see results within a month or less, but don’t get discouraged as every patient is different. Stay consistent with the treatment and don’t give up, otherwise it could become larger, or even cause further problems.