Is it OK to use dry ice to remove a wart?
Yes, but only if you’re a doctor with experience removing warts. This is something you shouldn’t try at home. You could cause scarring.
Warts are small growths on the skin that are caused by one of about 60 different types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Not all warts are contagious. Even warts that are not directly contagious can be spread to other parts of your own body by touch.
Most kinds of warts on the skin are harmless and they often go away of their own accord. Even so, there may be good reasons to try to eradicate them. For one thing, it may take anywhere from a few months to several years before they go away. Children with warts are likely to touch them and spread them. Also, depending on their location, warts may cause some discomfort or irritation. And many people find them unattractive and embarrassing.
If you want to try a drugstore remedy for your wart, be sure to check with the pharmacist and read the label carefully. Warts may be treated differently, depending on where they’re located. Be sure to follow the instructions precisely. It may take weeks or even months for the wart to go away.
Dermatologists have several possible techniques in their wart-removal arsenal. None is perfect and the warts may come back. One technique is cryosurgery, or freezing the wart. Repeat treatments are often needed. Cryosurgery usually involves using liquid nitrogen, but solid carbon dioxide, or dry ice, is used in some cases.
Some types of HPVs can cause genital warts. This is an extremely contagious form of sexually transmitted disease. Within this category there are a few viruses that may lead to cervical cancer. Freezing is one possible treatment for genital warts. However, because removal doesn’t cure the virus and the genital warts often recur, removal is not universally recommended by doctors. Do not try to treat genital warts yourself.