Skip to main navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
For
Medicare
For
Providers
For
Brokers
For
Employers
Español
For Individuals & Families:
For Individuals & Families
Medical
Dental
Other Supplemental
Explore coverage through work
How to Buy Health Insurance
Types of Dental Insurance
Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment
See all topics
Shop for Medicare plans
Member Guide
Find a Doctor
Log in to myCigna
Home
Knowledge Center
Wellness Library
Cryotherapy for Warts
Cryotherapy for Warts
Treatment Overview
Cryotherapy involves freezing a wart using a very cold substance (usually liquid nitrogen). Cryotherapy is a standard treatment for warts and can be done in a doctor's office. The liquid nitrogen application usually takes less than a minute.
- Your doctor may trim the wart with a small knife before applying liquid nitrogen.
- Cryotherapy can be uncomfortable. A numbing local anesthetic is usually not needed but may be used in some cases.
- Your doctor applies the liquid nitrogen to the wart using a probe or a cotton swab. Liquid nitrogen can also be sprayed directly on the wart.
Most warts require 1 to 4 treatments, with 1 to 3 weeks between each treatment.
There are over-the-counter products to freeze warts. These products are less powerful than liquid nitrogen. They may work for some warts, but it may work better to have your doctor freeze the warts.
What To Expect
What To Expect
Pain from cryotherapy can last up to 3 days. Healing is generally quick (7 to 14 days) with little or no scarring.
Within hours after treatment, a blister may form.
- If the blister breaks, clean the area to prevent the spread of the wart virus. Avoid contact with the fluid, which may contain the wart virus.
- The blister will dry up over the next few days, and the wart may fall off.
Multiple treatments may be needed to get rid of the wart.
Why It Is Done
Why It Is Done
Cryotherapy is usually used if salicylic acid treatment has not eliminated a wart or if quick treatment is desired.
How Well It Works
How Well It Works
Cryotherapy usually gets rid of warts. Two or more treatments may be needed.
Risks
Risks
If done carefully, cryotherapy poses little risk of scarring.
If a wart is thick and requires extensive or repeated freezing, nerves around the wart can be damaged, scarring may occur, and the skin may take a long time to recover.
Cryotherapy can cause redness, blisters, pain, or tenderness. Healing may take a week or longer. Cryotherapy can also cause skin color changes where you had the treatment. This may be more noticeable if you have darker skin.
Current as of: November 16, 2023
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Ignite Healthwise, LLC, visit webmdignite.com.
© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.
Related Links
Warts and Plantar Warts
<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>