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St. Alexius Medical Center Doctor's Building 2 1585 N. Barrington Road, Suite 603 Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 Tel: 847-310-1600 |
1089 N. Salem Drive Schaumburg, IL 60194 Tel: 847-310-1600 |
Cryotherapy is a standard treatment for warts that uses a very cold substance (usually liquid nitrogen) to freeze and deaden the tissue. Cryotherapy can be done in a doctor's office and takes less than a minute.
During the procedure, the 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. The freezing liquid can cause discomfort or pain, which is why a numbing drug (local anesthetic) is sometimes used.
Most cryotherapy treatment requires return visits to ensure that the wart is completely removed.
Studies show that cryotherapy is successful about two-thirds of the time, and when combined with salicylic acid treatment, up to 78% of the time.