COWELL ST SKIN & HAIR CLINIC • ADVICE

Verruca or Wart That Won’t Go Away? When to Try Freezing

If a wart or verruca has not shifted with pharmacy treatments, professional freezing is a reasonable next step. A frozen wart or verruca should fall off within one to four weeks, and larger ones often need a second treatment.

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Here is what to know before you book.

Why won’t my wart or verruca go away?

Warts are small, rough growths caused by a virus in the skin. A verruca is a wart on the sole of the foot, pressed flat by walking, which is why it can hurt.

Many clear up by themselves, but this can take a long time, and some simply stay. Verrucae are often the hardest to shift, because the skin on the sole is thick and hard skin builds up over the top.

How does freezing a wart or verruca work?

Cryotherapy destroys unwanted tissue with extreme cold. The CryoPen applies a fine, high-pressure jet of nitrous oxide directly to the wart, freezing it in seconds.

Because the jet is so precise, only the wart is treated and the healthy skin around it is left alone. There is no cutting and no stitches.

How do you prepare a verruca for freezing?

Freezing works best when it can reach the wart itself, not a layer of hard skin on top. So we ask you to prepare:

For one month before your first treatment, either apply Salactol, following the product instructions, or cover the whole lesion with zinc oxide tape.
The night before your appointment, soak the area in warm water for 20 minutes.
After soaking, gently remove all the hard skin with a pumice stone or file.

After your first treatment, stop the Salactol or tape. Before any further treatment, soak the area and remove the hard skin again.

How long does a wart take to fall off after freezing?

The wart or verruca should fall off within one to four weeks.
If it is still there after four weeks, it needs a second freeze.
The area can itch for about 10 minutes straight after treatment. This is normal.
A blister can form. Leave it alone and it will go down by itself. If it pops, use an antiseptic cream twice a day and cover it with a plaster.
Do not pick the area. Picking makes it take longer to heal.

Warts are caused by a virus, so occasionally one comes back or a new one appears elsewhere.

When should you see a GP about a wart or verruca?

Speak to your GP before booking if:

you are not sure the growth is a wart or verruca
it bleeds, or has changed in shape or colour
you have diabetes or poor circulation, especially for anything on the feet
it is on your face or genitals

We check every lesion before treating it. If we are not sure what it is, we will tell you and advise you to have it looked at first.

How much does wart and verruca removal cost?

Wart and verruca removal starts from £50. The price depends on how many there are, and we confirm it at your free consultation, before any treatment.

Next step

Read more about wart removal at our clinic in Llanelli, or call 01554 227543 to book a free consultation.

Ready to Start? Book Your Free Consultation

Come in for a free consultation and find out what treatment involves and what it will cost.