III. Treatment: Wart Treatment - Wart Removal

  • There is no single perfect wart treatment, since we are unable to kill the virus without killing the cells that the virus has infected. All types of treatment can cause a permanent scar at the site of the wart.

  • Warts can be destroyed with surgery, by freezing with liquid nitrogen, by applying chemicals or acids and by injecting them with bleomycin.

  • The CO2 laser is the most effective method for treating warts, but it is also the most expensive method. We do have this treatment available.

  • The wart treatment used on your warts depends on their location and size, your type of skin, and medical judgment.

  • Warts in the genital area require special consideration. Genital warts are not cancerous, however in women they may cause precancerous changes in the cervix. Women with genital warts should have a Pap smear performed by their personal physician or gynecologist.

  • In adults, genital warts are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse. To prevent further contagion, genital warts should be treated faithfully until they have cleared.

  • Men with penile warts should use a condom to prevent transmission of warts to their sexual partners.

  • Sometimes new warts will form while existing ones are being destroyed. The only thing that can be done is to let them grow large enough to be seen.

  • No matter what wart treatment is used, warts occasionally fail to disappear. They may also return weeks or months after an apparent cure. Do not become concerned if a wart recurs. Make an appointment and the treatment will be repeated, or a different method will be used to destroy the wart.

 

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