Surgical wart removal | Specialists and information

Introduction to surgical wart removal

There are various ways to remove a wart. Whether a wart can be surgically removed depends on the type of wart. You can discuss in detail with yourdermatologist whether surgical wart removal is an option for you or whether another treatment is more suitable.

It should generally be noted in advance:

• Surgical wart removal is unfortunately not a risk-free treatment; for example, scars may remain. In addition, there is no guarantee that the wart will not reappear. If you are unlucky, you may find the wart again in a similar place a few weeks later.
• According to experts, almost anyone can have a wart surgically removed. However, it is important that there is no inflammation or infectious skin changes around the surgical site. However, the dermatologist will explain this to you thoroughly.
• The health insurance company will only cover the costs of surgical removal of a wart if there is a risk that it could be a malignant wart. If it is a cosmetic procedure, statutory health insurance companies will not cover the surgical removal of a wart.

Which doctors treat warts?

Your first point of contact is a dermatologist or gynecologist / urologist, depending on the area of the body affected. If you are not sure, you can also consult your family doctor, who will refer you to a specialist.

When is surgical removal used?

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

Surgical removal of a wart is not often used by dermatologists because success is not always permanent.

But when can warts be surgically removed?

• Conventional warts, such as plantar warts, are often treated by surgical removal as they are often located on the sole of the foot and therefore cause pain when walking.
• Surgical removal is often used for condylomata acuminata warts. You are more likely to know these warts as genital warts, wet warts or genital warts. The wart is caused by sexual transmission. You must see a doctor as soon as possible because this wart can degenerate and cause cancer. Surgical removal of this wart is often successful and causes few side effects.
• Surgical removal of a wart is also frequently carried out for brush warts. These usually occur on the face (lips, mouth, eyes).
• Surgical removal can be used in particular for warts in the genital or anal area, as well as for warts in the uterus, urethra or vagina.

Preparation for surgical wart removal

Some warts are treated in advance with a so-called antiviral agent. This is an agent that inhibits the spread of viruses. These agents are often used for genital warts. The surgical removal of the wart can thus be optimized.

Before the wart is actually removed, the affected skin area is locally anesthetized, sometimes a general anesthetic is also useful. You will not notice anything about the procedure, apart from a small prick from the anesthetic needle.

Performing surgical wart removal

Surgical wart removal can remove a wart in a short time, if the treatment is suitable. The procedure takes around ten to twenty minutes, or even just a few minutes, depending on the size of the wart.

It is usually sufficient for the surgeon to scrape out the wart with a sharp spoon (curette). Instead of a sharp spoon, a laser can also be used as another surgical method. The surgeon will use the laser scalpel as a medical instrument. This is used to cut out the wart. The scalpel replaces the sharp spoon. However, laser treatment can also cause pain after removal, as well as scarring.

Another method of surgical wart removal is the so-called dye laser. This laser can gradually dry out the blood vessels. However, this is a very lengthy method. You can expect the treatment to take around two weeks with several sessions. Unfortunately, this laser method is painful, as the patient feels a burn. However, the relapse rate is low with this method. Experience has shown that the dye laser is not suitable for plantar warts.

After the actual operation, electrocoagulation is often carried out to kill any remaining viruses. By applying a targeted current, even small bleeding vessels can be closed immediately. Tissue that protrudes and is benign can also be easily removed. The wart is, so to speak, charred. This method tends not to be used on the feet because it can lead to painful scarring.

After surgical wart removal, the wound is sutured with a few stitches. In some cases, a drain is placed in the wound to prevent infection and speed up healing. The drainage draws any bodily fluids out of the wound. Once the dressing has been applied, you can usually leave the dermatologist's surgery.

Complications of surgical wart removal

Discomfort and pain can occur with almost any wart removal method. Surgical removal carries the risk of

• Infections,
• secondary bleeding or
• wound healing disorders

develop. The scar can also become inflamed.

Allergic reactions caused by the anesthetic or anaesthetic can occur, as can bruising.

It is also possible that viruses are spread during removal. As a result, another wart or even several new warts can develop either in the same place or in the surrounding area.

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

• Surgical removal of a wart on the eye may well impair vision if it is not carried out precisely.
• If a wart is surgically removed from the foot, there are a number of risks involved. Firstly, it depends on how deep the scar is. Secondly, if you have a job that requires you to walk a lot, you will usually have to take about two weeks off work.

The surgeon always strives to achieve good cosmetic results. However, it is quite possible that the scar will not fade due to poor scar healing. This looks particularly unattractive on the face. In the best case scenario, however, the scar will fade after a few weeks. It is also possible that after some time you will no longer 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 this if you develop a fever. Surgical removal of a wart carries the risk of inflammation, which can cause a fever. Always go to the doctor if you are unsure. It may also be possible to clarify questions over the phone.

Follow-up treatment after surgical wart removal

Surgical removal of a wart always requires follow-up treatment. The wound must be checked frequently by the surgeon and of course the dressing must also be changed.

The stitches must also be removed after a few days (10 to 12 days). Your attending physician will give you precise instructions after the operation.

The duration of treatment after wart removal always depends on the course of the operation:

• How long was the operation?
• How large is the wound?
• Where is the wound located?
• Is the wart superficial?

As a rule, healing takes about a week. Plantar warts usually take longer to heal.

Surgical removal of a wart on the foot may force you to take a break from exercise. You should expect a break of around two weeks. However, you will usually have to wear the plaster for several weeks

Tips for the time after surgical wart removal

Surgically removing a wart does not usually involve any major complications if you keep a few things in mind:

• Be careful not to scratch the wound.
• Do not go to the sunbed or sauna either, as this can lead to infection.
• Avoid contamination so that no bacteria get into the wound. Otherwise it can lead to inflammation.
• You should take particular care not to allow any moisture to reach the wound.
• Smoking after an operation slows down wound healing and is not recommended.
• Overall, make sure you eat a balanced diet and look after your immune system.

How to prevent warts

In addition to building up the immune system, there is now an HPV vaccine against the genital warts virus. There is still no vaccination against other wart viruses. However, you can reduce the risk of infection by following the usual hygiene rules.

This includes washing your hands several times a day with soap. If you are in saunas or swimming pools, you should not walk barefoot.