Surgical Wart Removal | Specialists and Information

There are various ways to remove a wart. Whether surgical removal is necessary depends on the type of wart. 

Warts are benign skin growths. They most commonly appear on the hands, feet, face, or genital area @ Lyudmila /AdobeStock

First, it’s important to note the following:

Unfortunately, surgical wart removal is not a risk-free procedure. For example, it may leave scars.

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the wart will not reappear. If you’re unlucky, you may find the wart back in a similar spot after a few weeks.

According to experts, almost anyone can undergo surgical wart removal

There are various ways to remove a wart. Whether surgical removal is necessary depends on the type of wart. However, it is important that there be no inflammation or infectious skin lesions around the surgical site. Your dermatologist will explain this to you in detail.

Health insurance covers the costs of surgical removal if the wart is suspected of being malignant. 

If the procedure is cosmetic, statutory health insurance plans do not cover the surgical removal of a wart.

Depending on the affected area of the body, your first point of contact is a dermatologist or a gynecologist/urologist. If you’re unsure, you can also consult your primary care physician. They will refer you to the appropriate specialist.

If other methods, such as freezing the wart (cryotherapy), fail, surgical removal usually follows. Unfortunately, even with this method, there is no guarantee that the wart will not reappear.

Freezing the wart @ Evgeniy Kalinovskiy /AdobeStock

Dermatologists do not frequently use surgical removal of warts because the results are not always permanent.

When is surgical intervention used?

Doctors often treat common warts, such as plantar warts, through surgical removal. These are often found on the sole of the foot and cause pain when walking.

Surgical removal is also common for condylomata acuminata. You may be more familiar with these warts under the terms genital warts, wet warts, or venereal warts. 

These warts are transmitted sexually. You must see a doctor as soon as possible, as they can become malignant and lead to cancer. 

Surgical removal of this type of wart is often successful and causes few side effects.

Surgical removal is also commonly performed for brush warts. These typically appear on the face (lips, mouth, eyes).

Surgical removal may be used especially for warts in the genital or anal area, as well as for warts in the uterus, urethra, or vagina.

There are some warts that the doctor treats in advance with antiviral medications. These are drugs that inhibit the spread of the virus. They are often used for genital warts. This helps optimize the surgical removal of the wart.

Before removing the wart, the doctor administers a local anesthetic to the affected area. Sometimes general anesthesia is also recommended. You won’t feel anything during the procedure, except for a slight prick from the needle.

The procedure takes ten to twenty minutes. If the wart is very small, it takes only a few minutes.

In most cases, it is sufficient for the surgeon to scrape away the wart with a sharp spoon (curette). A laser can also be used instead of a sharp spoon. 

The surgeon uses a laser scalpel as a medical instrument. With it, the surgeon cuts out the wart. The scalpel replaces the curette. 

However, laser treatment can also cause pain after removal, as well as scarring.

Wart removal using a laser @ Evgeniia /AdobeStock

Another method for surgical wart removal is the dye laser. This laser can gradually dry out the blood vessels. 

However, this is a very time-consuming method. You should expect the treatment to take about two weeks, involving several sessions. 

Unfortunately, this laser method is painful, as the patient experiences a burning sensation. However, the recurrence rate is low with this method. Experience has shown that the dye laser is not suitable for plantar warts.

After the actual procedure, the doctor often performs electrocoagulation to kill any remaining viruses. 

By applying a targeted electrical current, even small bleeding vessels can be sealed immediately. The doctor can also effectively remove protruding tissue that is benign. 

The wart is effectively cauterized. This method is generally not recommended for the feet, as it can lead to painful scarring.

After surgical wart removal, the doctor closes the wound with a few stitches. In some cases, the doctor inserts a drain into the wound to prevent infection and promote faster healing. 

The drain draws any fluid that accumulates out of the wound. Once the dressing is in place, you can usually leave the dermatologist’s office.

Discomfort and pain can occur with almost any method of wart removal. 

Surgical removal carries the following risks:

• Infections
• Postoperative bleeding or
• Impaired wound healing
• Inflammation of the scar

Allergic reactions to the anesthetic or local anesthetic may occur, as may bruising.

It is also possible that the viruses may spread during removal. As a result, another wart—or even several warts—may develop either at the same site or in the surrounding area.

Depending on where the wart was located, you may also experience functional impairments:

Surgical removal of a wart on the eye can impair vision if the procedure is not performed precisely

Surgical removal of a wart on the foot carries certain risks. 

You should expect to take about two weeks off work if your job requires a lot of walking or standing.

The surgeon always strives for good cosmetic results. However, it is entirely possible that the scar may not fade due to poor scar healing. 

This looks particularly unsightly on the face. In the best-case scenario, however, the scar will fade after a few weeks. It’s also possible that after some time, you won’t be able to see the scar at all.

If you experience severe pain or post-operative bleeding, you should see a doctor immediately. You should also do so if you develop a fever. 

Surgical removal of a wart carries the risk of inflammation, which can cause a fever. Always see a doctor if you’re unsure. You may also be able to clarify any questions over the phone.

Surgical removal of a wart always requires follow-up care. The doctor must check the wound frequently and change the bandage.

The doctor will need to remove the stitches after a few days (10 to 12 days). You’ll receive detailed instructions from the doctor following the procedure.

Wound after wart removal @ filin174 /AdobeStock

The duration of treatment following wart removal always depends on how the surgery went:

• How long did the surgery take?
• How large is the wound?
• Where is the wound located?
• Is the wart superficial?

Healing usually takes about a week. Plantar warts typically require a longer healing period.

Surgical removal of a wart on your foot may require you to take a break from physical activity. You should expect to rest for about two weeks. However, you’ll usually need to wear the bandage for several weeks.

Surgical removal of a wart usually does not involve any major complications if you keep a few things in mind:

• Be careful not to scratch the wound.
• Also, avoid using tanning beds or saunas, as this can lead to infections.
• Avoid contamination to prevent bacteria from entering the wound. Otherwise, inflammation may occur.
• You should take special care to ensure that no moisture comes into contact with the wound.
• Smoking after surgery slows down wound healing and is not recommended.
• Overall, make sure to eat a balanced diet and take care of your immune system.

In addition to strengthening your immune system, there is now an HPV vaccine against the viruses that cause genital warts. There is currently no vaccine available against other wart viruses. 

However, you can reduce the risk of infection by following standard hygiene practices.

This includes washing your hands several times a day with soap. If you’re visiting saunas or swimming pools, you should avoid walking barefoot.