Warts are caused by the HPV virus. There are many different strains of this virus. Certain strains will cause warts on specific areas of the body. Some warts will be noticeable for a little while before they disappear on their own. Other types of warts will need medical intervention to make them disappear. There are many ways a doctor can treat warts. One such treatment is laser wart removal.
Type of Warts
Laser wart removal can be used on all types of warts.
1. Common Warts
These types of warts usually appear on the hands, but they may be found almost anywhere. A typical common wart looks like a round or oval growth on the skin. The growth will have a rough surface.
2. Flat Warts
These types of warts are usually found on the face and forehead. They are more common in children. A flat wart is as the name implies, flat with a smooth surface. They normally appear in clusters.
3. Genital Warts
These warts are found on the genitals, in the pubic area and on the thighs. They may also be present in the vagina. Genital warts resemble common warts and can appear singularly or in small clusters.
4. Plantar Warts
These are warts that are found on the soles of the feet. Plantar warts are very painful and cause difficulty with walking or standing.
5. Subungual and Periungual Warts
These are warts that appear around and under the fingernails or toenails. These types of warts are very hard to get rid of due to their location.
Laser wart removal can be beneficial in the treatment of all of these warts. However, the doctor has to be especially careful when treating facial warts. Sometimes laser surgery can lead to scarring.
What is Laser Wart Removal?
Laser surgery can be performed in the doctor’s office for most types of warts. Laser wart removal uses a very strong beam of light to burn and destroy the wart tissue. A local anesthetic can be used to decrease the risk for pain. However, if the warts are large or on an area such as the cervix, a general anesthetic may be used. If this is the case, the wart removal may have to take place in a hospital or outpatient surgery clinic.
There are things you should consider prior to agreeing to laser surgery for your warts. You should know that laser surgery typically does not produce scarring, but it is important to talk with your doctor about this possibility. Laser surgery can require the use of a local anesthetic. It is also the most expensive of all types of wart removal. This type wart treatment is usually reserved for hard to treat warts. It is not recommended to be the initial treatment for your warts.
Why Your Doctor May Choose Laser Wart Removal
The doctor may choose laser wart removal if all other wart removal methods have failed. Some people will be resistant to prescription wart cream or their warts may return after burning them off or freezing them. Laser may also be used in the warts are inside the vagina or across the cervix. Before you agree with any type of treatment for your warts it is best that you understand all the risks associated with this type of wart removal treatment.
The Risks Associated With Laser Wart Removal
Laser wart removal is considered to be a type of surgery. Whenever the skin is broken there is always a risk for infection. The signs and symptoms of possible infection are as follows:
- Pain and swelling at the site of laser surgery.
- Heat or tenderness at the site of surgery.
- A discharge that looks like pus from the site of surgery.
- A continued fever of 100 ° F or more with no other conceivable cause.
The goods news is laser surgery is safer and has a lower risk for infection than traditional surgery that involves cutting the wart away. However, since there is no cure for HPV, there is a chance the warts will return after laser wart removal. Warts themselves are not harmful, but certain strains of HPV can cause cancer.
