Wart Removal

Yes, if a wart hurts, spreads or embarrasses you. Left alone, warts can take years to fade, spreading meanwhile. A small wart that doesn’t bother you can wait. If the growth is soft and hangs from the skin, see skin tag removal instead.

Freezing stings for a few seconds, and the spot throbs for a while afterwards. For cautery or laser, the skin is numbed first. Verrucas on the sole are the most tender to treat, so your doctor works gently there.

Usually within one to two weeks, after a scab or blister forms. If a little wart remains, a repeat visit two to four weeks later finishes the job, and the new skin underneath is smooth.

A fully cleared wart usually stays gone: in the Korean laser series, only about 3% returned in the months after treatment. New warts can still appear because the virus is so common, so the at-home habits on this page really matter.

Yes, in a doctor’s hands. Expect soreness, and a blister or scab after freezing that heals in about a week. On brown skin, a paler or darker spot can stay for weeks or months. A small scar is uncommon, mostly after deeper methods.

Each works well in the right place. Freezing suits most hand warts and is quick. Cautery usually removes a wart in one numbed visit. Laser is the choice for stubborn warts and deep verrucas. Your doctor confirms which suits yours at the consultation.

Yes, with extra care. Flat warts are small, smooth and often many, and shaving spreads them along the beard line. The NHS advises against pharmacy wart products on the face, so leave these to a doctor. If your bumps are spots, see acne treatment.

They can, slowly: salicylic acid takes up to three months of daily use and works better on hands than feet. A Cochrane review found that adding freezing clears more warts than the acid alone, so your doctor often combines the two.

Yes, mildly. The virus spreads through close skin contact and damp floors, towels and razors, and a wart can take months to appear. Cover warts, don’t share towels or socks, and wear slippers around pools and changing rooms.

Yes. Many children’s warts fade without treatment, so your doctor can suggest waiting or a gentle home treatment first. Freezing stings, so dermatologists mainly use it for older children who can sit still, with a parent beside them.

Yes. Begin two months or more ahead, because some warts need two or three visits spaced weeks apart and the final scab needs time to heal. For warts on the hands, which show in mehndi photos, start earlier.