CO2 Laser Treatment For Viral Warts

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CO2 lasers can be used safely on any part of the body and remove single, or multiple warts in minutes, after months of trying other methods.

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Viral warts can be known by different names, such as verruca vulgaris, or plantar warts, which appear on your soles of your feet. Whether on the hands, feet, or elsewhere, warts can be unsightly and painful.

The warts are caused by a virus which invades your skin through small cuts, or breaks in the surface, developing into a hard growth over time.

They have traditionally been treated by surgical removal, scraping, freezing, or burning. CO2 lasers have now emerged as a more effective and less inconvenient treatment, unwanted tissue is removed more evenly, with no need for stitches.

Small blood vessels the wart feeds off are rendered ineffective, often sealed. The laser can also kill the virus, to prevent this from reactivating, scarring is reduced, healing takes place at a greater rate.

Range Of Treatment

The image above (courtesy of Dermnet) shows a variety of warts, which can all be treated using a C02 laser. The majority are singular, hard lumps, although they can appear as a flatter group, or in a filigree pattern as on the hand below.

In this case, a second image shows the change after two sessions of treatment, with no scraping, freezing, or other invasive technique involved.

Independent Research

The possibility of using CO2 lasers to treat viral warts has been known for some time. An early study to compare this to curettage and cautery (scraping and heating) showed significant improvement in sterilisation, recurrence and scar reduction.

Nottingham university carried out a study on wart removal using a CO2 laser in 2011. They found that over 50% of patients had complete remission after one visit, growing to 95% after two treatments.

The disappearance of warts at distant sites suggested to them that CO2 laser therapy may modulate the immune system, a benefit not seen with other methods. This has been reported elsewhere and deserves further investigation.

More recent research in 2018 directly compared CO2 laser use on plantar warts with cryotherapy, across 60 evenly split, adult patients. They particularly noted the reduced amount of sessions required with a CO2 laser, just one or two.

Personal Treatment

The term viral warts is wide ranging and so are our bodies. Skin Care Network’s London clinic naturally make sure that CO2 laser treatment is a good choice for you, through an appointment with a consultant dermatologist.

Other options are available at the clinic but most of our patients find CO2 laser treatment an excellent solution. Apart from being effective, this causes less damage, normally just a little swelling, or redness for a few days.

If the viral warts are on your feet, your mobility is less impaired, if on your hands, greater dexterity is maintained. The CO2 laser is often called the Light Scalpel, as capable as any scalpel, with less intrusion.

By all means contact us for advice, or to make an appointment, our team will be pleased to assist in dealing with an unwanted condition.