Warts and verrucas are common skin problems. Sometimes they hurt. Many people try store-bought treatments. These often use salicylic acid. But sometimes, these treatments don’t work. The warts or verrucas are “stubborn.” They won’t go away.
When this happens, you need stronger treatments. Two of the best are laser therapy and freeze therapy. This blog will explain how these treatments work. We’ll look at their benefits. We’ll focus on those hard-to-remove skin growths.
Understanding Warts and Verrucas
A virus called HPV makes the skin grow too fast. They are often raised. They feel rough. Verrucas are warts that appear on the soles of the feet. They are flat. Also, this is because you walk on them. They often have small black dots in the middle. These dots are tiny blood vessels. That is why verrucas are frequently caught in swimming pools. They are also seen in the changing rooms.
Why are some stubborn?
Most warts and verrucas go away naturally. But some do not. They can be hard to treat. Therefore, wart removal is necessary in severe cases. Here are a few reasons:
- Deep roots: The virus can go deep into your skin. Regular treatments may not reach it.
- Weak immune response: Sometimes your body does not fight the virus well enough. This happens in that spot.
- Location: Verrucas on the feet are under constant pressure. This can make them harder to treat. When simple treatments fail, it’s time to try stronger options.
- Freeze Therapy: Freezing the Problem Away. Freeze therapy is one of the most common strong treatments. It uses extreme cold to kill the unwanted skin growth.
How Traditional Freeze Therapy Works?
In a clinic, a doctor or nurse puts a freezing liquid on the wart or verruca. The liquid is usually liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold. It is about minus 196 degrees.
- Application: Liquid nitrogen is applied directly to the growth. Moreover, this is usually done with a cotton swab. Sometimes they use a special spray.
- Freezing: The extreme cold freezes the cells in the wart. This kills the cells.
- Blistering: A blister forms under the treated area. This separates the dead wart from the healthy skin.
- Shedding: The blister and dead tissue will shed. This may take a few days. It may take a few weeks.
Advanced Freeze Therapy Techniques
For very stubborn warts, stronger freeze therapy is used. Sometimes it is repeated.
Deep and Repeated Freezing
A doctor might put the liquid nitrogen on for longer. They might also repeat the freezing several times in one visit. This reaches the deepest part of the wart or verruca. It kills all the virus cells.
Combination Therapy
Sometimes, freeze therapy is used in combination with another treatment. For example, a doctor might first file down the hard skin over a verruca. This helps the liquid nitrogen go deeper. They might also tell you to use salicylic acid at home. You use it between visits. This makes the treatment work better.
Laser Therapy: A Powerful Light Solution
Laser therapy works very well for warts and verrucas. It works when other treatments don’t. It uses focused light energy. This targets and kills the growth.
How Laser Therapy Works
The most common laser used is the Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL). This laser targets the tiny blood vessels. These vessels feed the wart or verruca.
- Targeting Blood: The laser is set to hit the colour red. This is the colour of blood.
- Heat Damage: The energy from the laser is absorbed by the blood. This happens in the vessels. This creates heat. The heat damages the vessels.
- Starving the Virus: The blood supply is killed. The wart or verruca cannot get nutrients. This causes the tissue to die.
- Tissue Shrinkage: The tissue shrinks. Eventually, it falls off.
Another type is the CO2 laser. It can kill the tissue directly. The laser turns the wart tissue into vapor. This is often used for larger growths. It is also used for very hard-to-treat growths.
Why Laser Therapy is Great for Stubborn Cases
Laser treatment is very precise. This makes it a great choice. This is especially true when other methods have failed.
Precision and Depth
The lasers are very accurate. They don’t harm much of the healthy skin around it. This is important for stubborn growths. These growths have deep roots.
High Success Rate
For verrucas, PDL treatment often works very well. It cuts off the blood supply. The treatment fixes the core problem. It helps your body get rid of the virus.
Reduced Scarring Risk
No treatment is totally risk-free. But modern lasers are designed to cause minimal damage. They don’t hurt the outer skin layer much. This can lead to less scarring. This is better compared to surgery.
Choosing the Right Treatment
It is essential to see a GP. Harley Street Prestige Medical has the best dermatologist, who can help you with the same procedures. This is your family doctor. You might also see a Podiatrist. This is a foot doctor. This is especially true for verrucas. See a doctor if:
- The growth hurts.
- It is bleeding.
- It is changing colour or shape.
- Store-bought treatments have not worked. This is after 12 weeks.
Conclusion
Stubborn warts and verrucas are frustrating. They can affect your daily life. However, modern medicine offers robust solutions. Advanced freeze therapy uses intense cold. It kills the tissue. Laser therapy uses focused light.
