Skin tags, warts and verrucas may be small, but they can really knock your confidence – especially before a big event. At DRVICTORIA™ Clinic in Edinburgh, I use CryoPen cryosurgery to remove these common skin lesions quickly and precisely, so you can feel confident in your dress, heels or open-toe shoes.
Skin Tags, Warts and Verrucas
Skin tags (Acrochordons)
Are benign skin growths that typically appear in and around skin folds such as the eyelids, neck, underarms and buttocks. These tags are fibrous and vascular, and they bleed easily if nicked (which you’ll know if you’ve ever had the misfortune of catching one in a zip!)
Warts
Are small, hard blisters caused by the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). Common warts (verruca vulgaris) appear mostly on the hands and are usually painless. Flat warts (verruca plana) are flatter in size and appear most commonly on the face and neck. Filiform warts (digitate wart) appear like a thread, similar to a skin tag, and are usually found on the eyelid. It is important to stress that warts are not caused by poor hygiene – anyone can get them, no matter how frequently or vigorously you wash your hands.
Verrucas (or Plantar Warts)
Appear on the soles of the feet and can be painless for some people and uncomfortable for others. They can be caught by “Direct contact with infected skin scales – for example from the floors of public changing rooms, shower cubicles and the areas around swimming pools. They can also be spread by autoinoculation, which happens when the warts are transferred to surrounding skin through scratching and rubbing” (Ref 1).
While these skin lesions don’t typically pose a health risk, it’s natural to want them gone - especially when you realize how quick and easy it is to do so.
Step One: Get it Checked
I take the health and wellbeing of all patients incredibly seriously, so during your consultation I will carefully assess your skin lesion before proceeding with any treatment.
If I have any concerns about the appearance of a lesion, I can refer you to The Mole Clinic, who are co-located with us, where their dermatologist can provide a swift diagnosis. If the lesion is confirmed to be benign, we’ll proceed with removal using cryosurgery.
A Little Preparation Improves Results
You don’t need to do anything in preparation for having a skin tag removed. However, if you have a wart or verruca, I recommend you do the following in the days leading up to your appointment:
- Soak the lesion in a bowl of warm soapy water for 20 minutes.
- With a pumice stone or emery board, gently scrub the lesion until the skin becomes rough. This will allow the nitrous oxide to penetrate deeper. The deeper it can penetrate, the better the chance of removal.
- Do not scrub so hard that it makes the area worse.
- Discontinue if bleeding occurs (you don’t want to cause discomfort or create an open wound).
Treatment with Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is an effective way to treat skin lesions such as skin tags, warts and verrucas. It involves “The controlled destruction of unwanted tissue by the precise application of extreme cold. The process is called cryonecrosis, tissue destruction by freezing. Rapid freezing to 27 °C and more will produce cryonecrosis in all benign human tissues and ice crystals will form. The ice crystals break the cell membrane, destroy the cells organelles and protein matrixes. Water then rushes into the surrounding area causing blistering and disruption of the local blood supply” (Ref 2).
Multiple studies show how quick, easy, safe and effective cryosurgery is at permanently removing unwanted skin lesions. All agree that it “Produces excellent cosmetic results, and is well tolerated” (Ref 3).
At DRVICTORIA™ Clinic, we are able to offer precision cryosurgery using the advanced CryoPen® or CryoSuccess®. The treatment takes just seconds, no anaesthesia is required and there is minimal scarring. It doesn’t involve cutting the skin so there is no bleeding, sutures or risk of infection.
After treatment the lession may sting a little and the area surrounding the treated area may be red and itchy. This is normal and will gradually fade. The treated skin lesion itself will turn a reddish colour, then gradually turn darker from the base, dry up, and fall off as the skin heals beneath it. This can take anywhere between 1-6 weeks, depending on the size of the skin lesion, and multiple treatments may be required.
Cryosurgery Aftercare Advice
There are a few key things to remember to ensure you get the best results after your cryosurgery:
- Keep the treated area dry and uncovered.
- When the scab forms, don’t pick it.
- Avoid exposing the treated area to the sun.
By following these steps, you’ll be free to wear what you want when you want - with no fear of covering certain areas.
Book a skin growth consultation today and take the first step to healthy clear skin.
About Nurse Elspeth
Elspeth is an NMC-registered nurse with over 10 years’ experience in patient care and more than 4 years specialising in CryoPen and cryosurgery for benign skin lesions at DRVICTORIA™ Clinic in Edinburgh.
References
- British Skin Foundation, Plantar Warts (Verrucas)
- CryoPen®, FAQs
- National Library of Medicine, Clinical Practice Trends in Cryosurgery: A Retrospective Study of Cutaneous Lesions, Afsar, Erkan, Karaca, 2015
