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Laser Treatment for Warts

There are several methods of removing warts, from cutting or burning them off to injecting them with the cancer drug Bleomycin. Options also include oral medications and over-the-counter topical formulations. Another approach is leaving the warts alone until they disappear spontaneously, often from one to three years after first appearing. Finally, laser treatments are sometimes used when other methods have been ineffective, when the patient is a pregnant woman infected with genital warts, or, when based on the features of the warts or their locations, laser would be the most appropriate mode of treatment.

  1. Types of Laser Treatments

    • A carbon dioxide pulsed laser works by vaporizing or evaporating the wart with an intense light beam. The laser removes the whole wart as well as some of the surrounding tissue to make sure the wart, its roots and blood supply are completely eradicated. Another laser treatment to remove warts employs a vascular pulsed dye laser to target the blood vessels sustaining the wart. The wart eventually dies from being deprived of a food source. Both procedures can be safely performed at a laser treatment center or in your doctor's office.

    Pros and Cons

    • Usually performed with the use of a local anesthetic, laser surgery is considered a superior method for removing warts from all areas of the body. The procedure causes only minor discomfort, if any, and the wound site usually heals quickly. Carbon dioxide vaporization laser treatments may leave minimal scarring due to ablation of the skin around and beneath the wart. Pulse dye laser treatments leave no scarring at all.

    Treatment

    • For a laser treatment to be effective, it should be done by a skilled practitioner who has received special training in the procedure. She should also be familiar with colposcopy, using an instrument to view the surgical site during treatment. The number of sessions required to remove the warts depends on their sizes, types, locations and quantity. Some warts may require only one treatment, while others may need more, particularly if they are larger or deeper than average or widespread.

    Aftercare and Healing

    • After the wart is removed, the surgical site may appear blanched in color and slightly swollen. Depending upon the size and location of the warts, you may feel mild discomfort or some pain. Aftercare might include instructions to soak the wound and gently pat it dry followed by applying antibiotic cream. You might also be instructed to use topical numbing gel as needed. Over-the-counter analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen may be taken in addition to a prescription pain reliever as recommended by your doctor. If you are recovering from the removal of genital warts, you will probably be given specific instructions on antibiotic agents, soaks, compresses and pain relief, both topical and oral.

    Warning

    • Be sure to call your doctor or practitioner if you experience drainage of pus or episodes of bleeding or if you develop a fever or chills. Call your medical practitioner if you have trouble urinating or you are experiencing a great deal of pain after the removal of genital warts.

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