Wart Removal by Cryosurgery: Using Liquid Nitrogen to Rid Yourself of an Unwanted Wart

My experience with the removal of a wart was relatively painless. My doctor looked at my wart and deduced that it was one with a rather tough layer of skin. Even though cryosurgery may not be the quickest way to remove a wart, it has little to no pain, and it was my first choice.

A few months back, I decided to try wart removal band-aids. I got the wart (which was on my thumb) down to a little white disk - nearly flush with my skin. However, I couldn't get it past that point.

Little did I know, that is the perfect time to go to the doctor for a professional 'freeze off'.

The band-aids or gel can only do so much; a doctor can go in and freeze away the roots and the base of the wart - by far the hardest part to get rid of.

So if you have the patience to go through with nightly or weekly self treatments, you will be able to go to the doctor for a one-time treatment and with any luck, the wart will be gone.

But, if you're like me, you may not be quite as patient. You will probably have to go see the doctor two or three times for treatment (depending on how thick the skin on the wart has become). If you notice a newly formed wart, getting in to the doctor as quick as possible can minimize treatments.

The procedure itself is quick, and in my experience, painless. Cryosurgery uses liquid nitrogen, which is not quite liquid, but not quite gas. My doctor had three Q-tips that he used to apply the substance, and he ended up using all three.

A doctor will apply the liquid nitrogen directly onto the wart through application of a Q-tip or a foam tipped instrument; pressing down with little force. The wart will start to turn a yellowish white, and it will seem to flatten a little bit. After one application is over with, your doctor will wait for the skin to thaw, and start again. A doctor can continue doing this as long as the skin around your wart does not become inflamed or red, and as long as you aren't in any discomfort. Most people experience a little bit of sensation, but it isn't a piercing type of pain that you might imagine.

After you've left the comfort of a sterile environment, you might be wondering what is to come. The answer can vary - some people experience blisters that resemble blood or heat blisters, others have continual redness around the wart site for 2-10 hours, and the wart itself will usually turn colors. Warts are very individual when it comes to their reactions to cryosurgery. Most start to turn a dark red, brown, or black. The bumps on the wart that resemble cauliflower may show up post-cryosurgery - you may have never noticed them before.

Depending on where the wart is, you may experience some discomfort during movement. Mine is on the outside of my thumb, under the knuckle, and I notice the wart now more than I ever did before cryosurgery, because it is healing. The cells are dying, and so not only do I notice it, others do, too!

But try not to cover it with a band-aid unless you have good reason to - and a blister is a good reason. Preventing infection (though rare) is important.