Warts

A wart is a skin growth caused by some types of the human papilloma virus (HPV). Most warts go away on their own within months or years; 50% disappear in 18 months or less. Their removal can be speeded up by using silver nitrate solution or salicyclic acid, or by freezing. Over-the-counter freezing kits using CO2 are not as effective as having a treatment using liquid nitrogen in a doctor’s practice. If the treatment methods above are not successful, the wart is classified as recalcitrant (stubborn) and is suitable for Ellipse wart treatment.

The Ellipse treatment

An intense beam of infrared light from the Ellipse Nd:YAG 1064 laser is used to burn and destroy the wart tissue. A local anaesthetic may be given depending on the number and location of the warts. A single burst of light is enough for smaller warts, whereas larger ones - such as plantar or mosaic warts found on the soles of the feet – may require multiple shots to ensure the whole area is treated. To assist the light to penetrate the skin, any callus or area of dead skin present will be thinned out using a razor or scalpel, and a thin layer of optical coupling gel may be applied.

Advantages