Minor Surgery

Treatment for Warts;

Doctor may use one of the following treatments:

• Cryotherapy:  For common warts in adults and older children, cryotherapy (freezing with a cold liquid gas called liquid nitrogen) produces a localised freezing of the warts and a smaller area of surrounding skin.  The freezing wears off within minutes of treatment, but the pain and burning sensation from it usually persists for around ten minutes and results in redness of the treated area.  The full effects of the freezing are not seen for 8 – 72 hours.  Patients can expect the area to be tender for several days, especially if on the bottom of the foot.  Within 24 hours, a clear to red/purple blister may appear.  The treated area will then scab over within 7 – 10 days.  The scab will eventually fall off, but the area will be pink for several weeks.
• Electrosurgery and curettage:  Electrosurgery (burning) is a good treatment for common warts, filiform warts and foot warts.  Curettage involves scraping off (curetting) the wart with a small spoon-shaped tool.  These two procedures are used together.
• Excision:  May cut out the wart (excision).