Wart Treatment

Warts will often clear up without treatment as your immune system fights off the HPV virus. However, warts can spread, and may cause pain, discomfort or embarrassment. In these cases, a consultant dermatologist can recommend the best treatment to help get rid of them.

Treatment may take a few weeks or months, and it’s important to understand that warts can return. 

The most common treatment options for warts include:

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid can be bought over the counter from pharmacies and is normally the first line of treatment for warts. The treatment will come in the form of a cream, gel, paint, or medicated plaster, which you’ll need to apply daily for several weeks. 

Salicylic acid can destroy healthy skin, so it’s important to protect the skin around your wart before applying the treatment. You may find a corn plaster or petroleum jelly helpful in creating a barrier around the wart. 

If the wart is stubborn and over-the-counter salicylic acid has not been effective, your consultant may prescribe a stronger salicylic acid for you to use before trying other treatment options. 

Chemical treatments

If salicylic acid has not been effective, your consultant may prescribe other chemical treatments that contain formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or silver nitrate. 

These chemicals are applied in the same way as salicylic acid and work to get rid of the wart by killing the affected skin cells. 

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy treatment is where a dermatologist applies liquid nitrogen to the wart to freeze and destroy it. After the treatment, a blister will form, followed by a scab, and the wart will peel away from the skin after 7 to 10 days. 

This treatment can cause mild pain or discomfort, and your wart will usually need to be frozen a few times over several sessions before it clears up completely. Each session takes around 5 to 15 minutes, and you’ll need to wait a few weeks between treatments.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy may be used to treat stubborn warts that haven’t responded to other treatments. This type of treatment uses topical chemicals that cause a mild allergic reaction. This triggers your own immune system to start fighting the virus so that the wart will eventually go away. 

Laser treatment

Laser treatment is another option that may be appropriate when other treatments have failed. During the treatment, your consultant will use a high-powered laser to heat and destroy the blood vessels inside the wart, cutting off the blood supply to kill the wart.  

Depending on how many warts are being treated, your skin may be numbed with a local anaesthetic before treatment. Once the wart has been removed, the skin should heal fully within 2 to 4 weeks.

Wart treatments are generally safe, but as with any medical procedure, there’s a small risk of side effects. 

Your consultant will explain all the potential side effects before your wart treatment and answer any questions you may have. 

Possible side effects depend on the type of treatment you are having, but may include: 

• mild pain or discomfort, such as burning or stinging

• blistering of your skin 

• lightening or darkening of your skin 

• scarring 

• infection

Your dermatologist will tell you everything you need to do to prepare for your wart treatment. 

Tell your consultant about any medical conditions or allergies you have, and any medications you take regularly.

Recovery from wart treatment depends on the type of procedure you had, your general health and the severity and location of the wart that has been removed. 

Your consultant will give you instructions to follow during your recovery. They may arrange a follow-up appointment with you to check your progress and determine whether any further treatment is necessary. 

You can usually return to normal activities straight away after your wart treatment. Avoid activities that could knock, rub or irritate the treated area. 

You may have a dressing in place where your wart was removed. Follow your consultant’s instructions on how to care for this at home. 

After cryotherapy treatment, a blister will form where your wart was removed within a few hours. This will scab over in a few days, and the scab will fall off naturally after 1 to 2 weeks. 

If you have any questions or concerns during your recovery, please get in touch for advice.

Please contact our Skin Health centre for pricing information.

At Welbeck, our dermatologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialities, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

We accept both self-referrals and referrals from healthcare professionals for this treatment.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with a Welbeck dermatologist, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.