No treatment option, unfortunately, is 100% effective. However, freezing is considered the most successful option and is usually be repeated 2-3 times to fully destroy the verruca. Freezing at home is best for smaller warts, under 1 centimeter in size. Still, you will likely need to repeat the process several times. Freezing is somewhat painful, so it may not be the best option for young children. [4] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source If you are worried about the procedure or have large verrucas that seem resistant to treatment, you can get professional cryotherapy at your doctor or dermatologist’s office.
Your treatment make take several weeks, depending on the verruca. Remove the bandage and wash the verruca with soap and water once a day. You often get faster results if you grind down the wart with a pumice stone or nail file before applying. [6] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Never share pumice stones or nail files because this may spread the infection to someone else. [7] X Research source
You should also see a doctor if you have warts that appear in clusters. These are known as mosaic warts and they are more difficult to treat than solitary warts. [9] X Research source
Keep in mind that the virus can lay dormant. This means that while you may not have any symptoms and HPV may not show up on tests, you may still technically have the virus. [10] X Research source
You will feel a sharp, pinch-like pain for 3 seconds or so, but after that the pain should fade. After 10-15 minutes you will likely feel nothing but light numbness. If you have a low pain tolerance, sit down to perform the procedure. While fainting is uncommon, you want to make sure you don’t hit anything if you feel woozy.
If you get a blister, and it breaks, carefully wipe up and contain the fluid. It may contain the wart virus. [12] X Research source Then, clean the area with mild soap and water. Dry the area and cover it with a clean, non-stick bandage. [13] X Research source While you can continue normal activity after cryotherapy, avoid swimming and using a hot tub. The water may contain bacteria that can cause infections in the wart. For the first 24 hours after treatment, you should avoid soaking the area with water in any way, such as by washing dishes. [14] X Research source
See a doctor if you have bleeding, discharge, numbness lasting more than 2-3 days, or swelling consistent with an infection. [16] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor. org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source
Make sure you dry your foot and wipe away any dead skin before applying any treatments. [17] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
Salicylic acid damages healthy skin as well as unhealthy, but you can protect the skin around your verrucas with a light coating of petroleum jelly. Keep the wart covered after applying the salicylic acid so that the medicine stays close to the skin. [18] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor. org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source
If the tape falls apply a fresh piece of tape immediately. This may need to be repeated, or used in conjunction with other methods, so don’t be alarmed if you still have a wart, or if it returns, when treatment is finished.
Sterilize the needle ahead of time by holding it over an open flame for 5-10 seconds. Clean the wart with soap and water. Soak it for 5 minutes in warm water to loosen the skin. Piece the wart with a quick, shallow movement. You only need to break the skin. This will be painful. Clean the wart, cover with antibacterial ointment, and bandage it up for 1-2 weeks. [19] X Research source
However, verrucas will rarely clear up on their own in people with weakened immune systems (such as people with HIV), so it is recommended that they seek treatment. Avoid high-heeled shoes, or anything that puts a lot of your weight onto the verruca, to ease the pain. Thicker socks and comfortable shoes will all help. You can buy moleskin and craft a donut-shaped pad, leaving the verruca in the middle. This padding can prevent you from painfully stepping on the wart.
This will not completely remove the verruca, but it will decrease its size and hopefully make it less painful.
The liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the verruca, destroying the skin cells through freezing. A blister will form following the procedure, which will scab over and fall off within a number of days, taking the verruca with it. [20] X Trustworthy Source DermNet NZ Online clinical resource website written and run by dermatologists providing evidence-based information about dermatology and skin health Go to source For very large verrucas, the procedure may need to be repeated several times before the verruca is completely removed. Cryotherapy can be quite painful, so it is not recommended for young children.
Retinoid cream (Avita, Retin-A). Cantharidin (Cantharone, Cantharone Plus). This medicine causes the skin under the wart to blister, lifting the wart off the skin. This medicine is applied to the wart at your doctor’s office. Immunotherapy medicines to fight the HPV virus. Bleomycin injections, though these are very painful and rarely used anymore. [21] X Research source
You can cover the verruca in nail polish varnish, which creates a seal that prevents you from passing the virus on to other people. [22] X Research source However, keep in mind that this is not a scientifically proven method.
