Formerly Groot DermaSurgery
Warts & Wart Removal
Wart removal can sometimes be a very difficult task to accomplish. Warts (otherwise known as verrucae) are very common skin lesions caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). They frequently affect the hands and feet but can affect virtually any skin surface on the body. As many as one third of children may develop warts at some point.
HPV stimulates the growth of the cells on the skin’s outer layers. As a result, warts can be thickened and keratotic but may also be flat topped papules. They may disappear spontaneously but this process may take many years. They may also spread from place to place, and from person to person.
Are you frustrated by your warts? Have you had them treated many times without improvement?
If so, our CellFX wart removal treatment may be a solution. It uses billionths of a second pulses of electricity and has been extremely helpful when other measures have failed. We have treated many frustrated patients with this first of its kind modality.
CellFX is the newest treatment available for wart removal, Nakatsui DermaSurgery was fortunate to be selected as one of the first five clinics in Canada (and the only one in Edmonton) to get this new technology.
Treatment Options for Wart Removal in Edmonton
There are many treatment options and in general, these can be divided into destructive and immunostimulatory methods. Destructive methods try to destroy the wart tissue and allow new, healthy tissue to regrow. Immunostimulatory methods try to stimulate our Immune system to attack the wart virus and eliminate it. When this occurs, it can occasionally cause elimination of of other warts, not just the one that was treated.
Destructive methods include paring, topical acids (e.g. Compound W), liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy or cryosugery), electrocautery, laser wart removal treatments such as CO2 laser and pulsed dye laser, and CellFX. Immunostimulatory treatments include diphencyprone (DPC), topical imiquimod, and CellFx.
In our Edmonton clinic, we use almost all of these wart treatments and we know that some lesions can be extremely stubborn. We are happy that we now have a treatment that often works when others have failed. CellFX is our newest treatment and has been extremely helpful in treating stubborn warts (although it is not indicated for genital warts and periungual warts). It seems to have both destructive and immunostimulatory properties.
Most unwanted spots and bumps are made up of cells. These cells cause an irregular appearance on the skin surface and can extend deep into the layers of your skin. So clearing the cells can clear the problem.
However, it’s important to avoid damaging the non-cellular, healthy collagen that surrounds them. Traditional methods such as freezing, heat, CO2 laser, or chemicals can destroy the healthy tissue that surrounds spots and bumps, causing scarring, or they may not reach deep enough to clear the unwanted cells.
As a result, CellFX is a truly unique treatment as it removes cells without disrupting the non-cellular collagen in the skin, unlike other destructive methods like liquid nitrogen, CO2 laser. and electrocautery.
How much does wart treament cost?
Treatment of warts with CellFX is not covered by the government and costs $250 for the first wart and $50 per additional wart.
Frequently Asked Questions About Warts and Wart Removal
What are the most common sites?
The most common sites we see in our Edmonton wart removal clinic are the hands and feet. The vast majority of warts will present on the soles of the feet (plantar warts).
Can warts spread?
They can spread as they are caused by a virus. If you have wart virus on your hands and then scratch your skin, you may develop new warts. A very common place to acquire the virus is on locker room floors, especially at swimming pools. Another virus that is commonly acquired at swimming pools is the molluscum contagiosum virus but these present very differently.
Can I use apple cider vinegar as a method of wart removal?
You can try to treat it with apple cider vinegar but it is likely not as effective as something like salicylic acid, which can be found at your local pharmacy as products like Compound W, Soluver, or Duoplant. Apple cider vinegar also tries to destroy the wart tissue but agents like Compound W are typically more effective.
Are there any other home remedies available for wart removal?
There are many home remedies out there for wart removal including but not limited to baking soda, castor oil, banana peel, birch bark, lemon peel, essential oils, and pumice stones. The vast majority are ineffective, although there will always be anecdotal stories for every home remedy. One home remedy that has some support is duct tape. A study performed on children showed that duct tape applied over warts may be about as effective as liquid nitrogen.
What other types of warts are there besides plantar warts?
Warts can be described in different ways. Some warts are described by their location, such as genital warts and periungual warts (next to the nail plate). Others are described by their appearance, such as flat (frequently found on the face) or filiform.
If I treat one wart, will the untreated ones go away too?
Typically it is only the treated one that responds. However, immunostimulatory treatments such as CellFx and DPC may lead to removal of other untreated warts, implying the immune system has been stimulated to recognize the offending virus and destroy all of them on the body even though only one site was treated. This is one potential advantage of treatments like CellFX. Unfortunately, though, there are over 150 strains of HPV. As a result, developing immunity to one strain of HPV (and potentially its close cousins) still means you could become infected by a different strain at some point in your life.
Can Warts Be Prevented?
If you already have warts, you can prevent them from spreading by not picking at them. Consider covering them with bandages. In addition, keep hands as dry as possible — warts are harder to control in moist environments. You should never scratch or shave areas where they are present as this can cause the virus to spread. Wash hands thoroughly after touching any warts.
Common Wart Treatments
CellFXWart Removal Edmonton Clinic
Serving Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Leduc, and Edmonton
Questions? Contact us at:
780-482-1414
Do you have another question that wasn’t addressed here? Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have!