What should i do after freezing a wart

Cryotherapy is painful. A numbing local anesthetic is usually not needed but may be used in some cases. Your doctor applies the liquid nitrogen to the wart using a probe or a cotton swab. Liquid nitrogen can also be sprayed directly on the wart. Most warts require 1 to 4 treatments, with 1 to 3 weeks between each treatment. Within hours after treatment, a blister may form.

If the blister breaks, clean the area to prevent the spread of the wart virus. Avoid contact with the fluid, which may contain the wart virus. The blister will dry up over the next few days, and the wart may fall off. Multiple treatments may be needed to get rid of the wart. Why It Is Done Cryotherapy is usually used if salicylic acid treatment has not eliminated a wart or if quick treatment is desired.

How Well It Works Cryotherapy can destroy warts. Risks If done carefully, cryotherapy poses little risk of scarring. Some signs of infection include: Increased pain, swelling, redness, tenderness, or heat. Red streaks extending from the area. Discharge of pus. What To Think About If you can tolerate moderate, short-term pain, cryotherapy may be a reasonable treatment option for you.

Cryotherapy: Can be painful and expensive but usually does not scar. Is most painful where the skin is thicker palms and soles. Often takes multiple treatments, especially for thick, larger warts. Subungual and periungual warts are found under or around the fingernails and toenails.

Symptoms of warts The primary symptom of warts is a rough-surfaced fleshy growth on your skin. What causes warts? How are warts diagnosed? Can warts be prevented or avoided? Wart treatment Warts often disappear on their own, although it may take months or years to do so.

Warts on the skin There are many ways to remove common warts from the skin such as on the fingers, feet, and knees. Applying salicylic acid. You can treat warts on places such as the hands, feet, or knees by putting salicylic acid one brand name: Compound W on the warts.

After you take a bath or shower, pat your skin dry with a towel. Then apply the salicylic acid. The acid sinks in deeper and works better when it is applied to damp skin. Before you take a shower or a bath the next day, use an emery board or pumice stone to file away the dead surface of the warts. Apply the acid every day for many weeks as directed. Applying cantharidin. However, you may experience some pain and blistering of the wart about 3 to 8 hours later.

When you return to your doctor for your follow-up visit, they will remove the dead skin of the wart. Applying liquid nitrogen. Your doctor may use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. This treatment is called cryotherapy or cryosurgery. This is a two-step process that does not hurt the skin around the wart. Applying liquid nitrogen to the wart causes a little discomfort.

To completely remove a wart, the treatments may be needed every 1 to 3 weeks for a total of 2 to 4 times. If no improvement is noted, your doctor may recommend another type of treatment.

Other treatments for warts on the skin. Your doctor may choose to burn the wart, cut it out, or remove it with a laser. These treatments are effective, but they may leave a scar. They are normally reserved for warts that have not cleared up with other treatments. Warts on the genital area Genital warts must be treated by your doctor. Living with warts Most of the time, treatment of warts on the skin is successful and the warts are gone for good.

Questions to ask your doctor Do I have a wart? How did I get a wart? Skip to Content. Urgent Care. In This Section. Dermatology Looking for services or physicians who can help treat this condition? Click Here. What to Do Keep the area clean and dry. Do not break the blister. Wash it every day with soap and water.