How long does wart removal take?

Warts are unique skin growths that are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV. Warts are harmless, but they can occur on areas of the body that are highly visible, making patients feel self-conscious about them. Sometimes, patients will want to speak to a professional in San Antonio, TX, about possible removal. This can be done in many ways, depending on the location, type, and severity of warts.

How long does wart removal take?

The time needed to address an unwanted wart depends heavily on the method being used to treat it. Below are a few options for removal and their expected treatment time:

• Over-the-counter freezing products – certain aerosol sprays, such as dimenthyl ether, are readily available without a prescription in drugstores. This particular method of treatment is done at home, freezing warts and allowing them to die off over the course of several weeks.
• Salicylic acid treatments – with the use of salicylic acid applied as pads, gels, or other methods, patients can expect it to take anywhere from four to six weeks to fully address a wart.
• Laser surgery – laser surgery is used to provide heat to the wart and cause the tissues to die. This, in turn, allows the wart to fall off within a few weeks’ time.
• Electrosurgery – damaging the wart from the inside tissues with an electric current often works on stubborn warts and provides faster results than other methods.
• Cryotherapy – with liquid nitrogen, our professionals at Stone Oak Dermatology can eradicate a wart by essentially freezing it. The treatment is done within seconds at our office, and patients will need to wait for the wart to die and fall off on its own.

How do I learn more about warts?

If you are dealing with a stubborn wart that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter methods of treatment or deal with warts throughout the body, it may be time to speak to a dermatologist in the San Antonio, TX area about wart treatment. Call Dr. Linda J. Banta of Stone Oak Dermatology at 210-494-0504 to request a consultation visit at her facility to discuss warts and wart removal options.