Warts and Verruca Removal

Warts are small, rough lumps or growths on your skin caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). You can get them anywhere, but warts are most common on your hands, knees and feet. A wart on the sole of your foot is called a verruca. Warts and verrucas usually go away on their own, although this can take months or years. In most people they don’t really need to be treated, but lots of over-the-counter treatments are available from your pharmacy. If home treatment doesn’t work, you may have to see a dermatologist for treatment. You’re more likely to develop warts and verrucas if your immune system is weakened. In these situations, your warts may be large, cover a wide area and be harder to treat.

FAQs

How does the treatment work?

There are a couple of different ways to treat warts and veruccas in clinic. Your medical professional will assess the condition and decide what the best option will be.

Most common is excision removal. This procedure uses a surgical instrument called a curette to scrape and remove the wart/verruca. This is done after local anaesthetic is injected into the area to ensure you feel no pain. A small stitch may be needed.

Another method is using laser. A highly targeted beam of laser light is aimed at the wart or verruca. This heats up the blood vessels which in turn destroys the blood supply to the wart. This starves the wart/verruca of nutrients, so it naturally falls off after a few weeks. This method usually involves a couple of treatments.

Does treatment hurt?

With excision of a wart the area is injected with local anaesthetic which can be uncomfortable. However, once the anaesthetic starts working you shouldn’t feel any pain.

If laser is used, you will feel a hot sting, similar to an elastic band hitting the skin. The feeling can be uncomfortable but doesn’t require any anaesthetic or pain relief.

Will my wart/verruca come back?

If the wart/verruca has been successfully treated and removed, it will not come back. However, if the virus that caused the wart/verruca is still active in your body, there is a chance that new warts/verrucas will grow.

Why not just use over the counter solutions?

We would absolutely suggest using over the counter solutions which can be effective in a lot of people. If you decide to treat your own wart, your first-choice remedy should be an over-the-counter medication in liquid, gel, pad, or ointment form. Most of these contain salicylic acid, which softens abnormal skin cells and dissolves them. Some examples are Compound W, Duofilm, and Occlusal HP. If you are unable to successfully treat your wart or verruca yourself it may be that it needs more intense treatment. In this case, it is advisable to phone for an appointment at the clinic where you will have a full consultation with our Medical director.

Consultation Required? Yes, with a Doctor

Cost for Consultation - £200

Cost for treatment: 

Removal Method	Single Wart/Verruca	2 Warts/Verrucas	3 Warts/Verrucas
Cryotherapy	£157	£207	£247
Laser	£167	£217	£257
Excision	£177	£227	£267