If you are tired of having that nasty, annoying wart, try freezing it. Warts are fed by blood vessels, and if you damage them in severe cold, your wart will eventually come off as well. If you went to a dermatologist for this treatment, the doctor would use liquid nitrogen, a substance that reaches extremely low temperatures. Know that you should never attempt to use liquid nitrogen at home on yourself because, if used improperly, it is very painful and causes tissue damage. Instead, buy a kit to freeze warts that you can find freely at the pharmacy, without the need for a prescription.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Understand the procedure
Pharmacy kits use dimethyl ether and propane to freeze the wart and surrounding tissue. Be aware that the wart will not come off immediately after treatment. It will take several applications, up to three or four weeks, before the growth gradually disappears.
Warts are caused by the virus that invades the cells of the epidermis and causes them to replicate uncontrollably. Freezing kills the virus
Step 2. Identify the type of wart
Some types respond better than others to cold treatment. If you have a wart in the genital region, never try to remove it at home with this method. It is the manifestation of a virus that must be managed and treated by a doctor. Here is a short list of the other varieties of warts:
- Common warts: These are small hard skin formations, usually brown or gray in color. They typically develop on the fingers, hands, knees and elbows and have a rough surface.
- Plantar warts: These are hard growths that grow on the sole of the foot. They create a lot of discomfort when walking.
- Flat warts: They are small, smooth and flat. They can be pink, brown, or yellow in color and develop on the face, arms, knees, or hands. This type of warts usually occurs in clusters.
Step 3. Know when to see a dermatologist
If you are unable to get rid of the wart with home treatments, have several growths or they are painful, then you should see a specialist. You must go to the doctor even if you believe the formation is not a wart, if it is on the face, genitals or feet, if your immune system is weakened or if you are diabetic. The dermatologist will most likely diagnose the wart with simple observation, but tests may also be necessary. He could perform a biopsy, removing a small piece of tissue from the wart, so as to study the virus that caused it.
Remember that the virus that generates warts may come back. The skin formation may always appear in the same place or in another area of the body. If you are having trouble treating recurring warts, don't hesitate to contact your dermatologist
Part 2 of 4: With a Free Sale Kit
Step 1. Prepare your workspace and materials
Wash your hands and the wart area thoroughly. Most of the spray kits are equipped with a can that contains the cryogen product, that is the very cold liquid. Also, there should be a foam applicator. The treatment doesn't take long, so make sure you have everything close at hand.
Always read the instructions attached to the package carefully
Step 2. Assemble the spray kit
Take the applicator, usually a stick with a handle and a foam tip, and place the device on a flat and sturdy surface, because you will have to insert the applicator in the upper part.
Be very careful and don't hold the can near your face. The liquid contained is very cold, so take all necessary precautions to avoid accidental splashes
Step 3. Load the can
Keep the device resting on the table with one hand; with the other press the applicator handle until you hear a hiss. Keep pressing for two to three seconds to impregnate the applicator with the cryogen element. At this point you can take out the applicator and wait 30 seconds.
Looking at the applicator you should see it frozen and full of liquid, and you should also smell the dimethyl ether
Step 4. Apply the cryogen product to the wart
Place it gently on the wart without rubbing, just press. The instructions in most kits recommend leaving the applicator on for 20 seconds or less, depending on the size of the wart. Remove the applicator from your skin being careful not to touch it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
If the wart is on the tip of a finger, then move it slowly as you apply the mixture. You will likely feel pain, itching or burning
Part 3 of 4: With Liquid Hydrogen
Step 1. Consult your doctor for this type of treatment
Since liquid hydrogen can cause tissue damage if applied incorrectly, it is not a treatment that can be done at home. If you plan to treat your wart at home, choose a different method.
- Because of the discomfort and pain it causes, freezing the part with liquid hydrogen is a procedure that children tolerate very little.
- Liquid hydrogen must be used very carefully to avoid nerve damage and neuropathies.
- Never use it on the face. Use it with caution when treating dark-colored skin, as it causes discoloration.
Step 2. Freeze the wart
The doctor will pour a small amount of liquid hydrogen into a polyester cup. This allows you to maintain proper hygiene, especially if many people use it. He will then soak a cotton swab in the substance to apply it later on the wart. The cotton swab should be applied directly to the center of the wart, applying gentle pressure. This process is repeated until the area freezes, which should turn white.
- An anesthetic ointment may be used during the process to relieve discomfort and pain.
- Frozen tissue hardens and, pinching it on the sides, you can feel it between your fingers.
Step 3. Leave the wart undisturbed
Although it appears almost white at first, the color should slowly return to normal. If you think you haven't applied liquid hydrogen deep enough, then you can repeat the process. You will experience small twinges of frostbite pain.
If you are in severe pain, then it means that you have pushed yourself too deep and damaged a lot of healthy tissue
Part 4 of 4: Subsequent Checks
Step 1. Apply a dressing
If the treated wart is not causing pain or discomfort, you can decide whether to bandage it or not. However, if it is a plantar wart, you should use a specific dressing, which acts as a cushion, to allow you to walk without too much discomfort.
Most plantar warts patches are circular in shape with padded edges. The central part, on the other hand, is not cushioned, so it does not put pressure on the treated area. This type of dressing allows you to walk with greater comfort
Step 2. Don't tease the wart
A fluid and blood-filled blister may form within hours of cryotherapy. You may experience a burning sensation and the wart may feel irritated. Do not break the blister or scratch the dead skin, otherwise you will expose the underlying tissue to the virus, creating the conditions for a recurrence.
Step 3. Repeat the cure as needed
If the wart has not shrunk in size, then you will need to apply the cryogen again. Wait two or three weeks before re-freezing it with a kit that you find free for sale.
- Warts can sometimes be difficult to remove. Your doctor may want to try multiple methods together to facilitate the process.
- Remember that the cryogenic liquid in this type of kit is not as cold as the liquid nitrogen used by the dermatologist. For this reason, several treatments will be necessary before the growth comes off.
Warnings
- Never try to freeze a wart with ice cubes, as they are not cold enough to kill the wart.
- The procedure is most effective with smaller warts, about the size of a pea (4 mm) or less. In principle, larger warts could be treated by freezing one piece at a time near the edge, waiting for the area to heal completely (about two weeks) before proceeding to freeze the adjacent section. You should never, under any circumstances, freeze large surfaces, as this would form a large, painful blister susceptible to infection.
- Some warts are cancerous or may be a sign of a more serious condition that requires medical attention that is sometimes life-saving. The differences are really very subtle and only a dermatologist is able to recognize them.
