Treat Plantar & Palmer Warts in a matter of seconds
No more weeks of bandages and medication
Plantar and palmar warts can now be treated virtually painlessly with the help of CryoPen®. CryoPen® is a medical procedure which involves the application of nitrous oxide gas under high pressure to the skin where the unwanted lesions are frozen and destroyed.
The tip of the Cryopen® may reach as low as -89°C, this has the effect of crystallising the contents of the body cells leading to destruction of the skin lesion. The duration of the treatment is dependent on the size and nature of the lesion, but generally each lesion just takes a matter of seconds. Some lesions can be treated in as few as 1-2 sessions
What Causes Plantar & Palmar Warts
Plantar warts and palmar warts are noncancerous skin growths, caused by a viral infection in the top layer of the skin. The culprit is a strain of virus called human papillomavirus or HPV.
The HPV strains that cause plantar warts aren’t highly contagious. So the virus isn’t easily transmitted by direct contact from one person to another. But it thrives in warm, moist environments. Consequently, adults and kids may contract the virus by walking barefoot around swimming pools or locker rooms. If the virus spreads from the first site of infection, more warts may appear.
The CryoPen® emits a pressurised, super fine jet of nitrous oxide from its tip, which allows our clinician to work with precision that is millimetre perfect. The tissue is destroyed by freezing the inter-cellular fluid, forming ice crystals which break the cell membrane, thereby destroying the targeted tissue; allowing healthy tissue to remain untouched.
The safety of Cryotherapy has long been established and the risk of complications when using CryoPen® is lower than many other treatments and methods. Cryopen® delivers N2O directly to the area, and not the healthy surrounding tissue. Cryopen® is both CE and FDA approved.
When administering treatment, your practitioner will target the lesions with the Cryopen™. The duration of the treatment is dependent on the size and nature of the lesion, but generally each lesion just takes a matter of seconds. It is usual to see a frost or ice-field appear on the top of the lesion during treatment. A ‘freeze-thaw-freeze’ approach is often used when the lesion is frozen, allowed to defrost for a few seconds and then a second treatment applied. Although it is best to try to leave the treated area uncovered, a plaster or simple dressing may be applied if it is in an area which may lead to rubbing and aggravation. No anaesthetic is required for Cryopen™ treatment.
It is usually very well tolerated with only minimal discomfort. The sensation is similar to a stinging nettle on the skin when the nitrous oxide reaches the bottom of the lesion, but this vanishes quickly. There is sometimes some residual stinging after treatment which may last for several minutes.
Healing occurs anywhere from 1-6 weeks following treatment, depending on depth and size of the lesion. Lesions usually assume a darker colour (this is the dead cells), as the skin regenerates underneath it will slough or flake away. A follow up visit is recommended after 4 weeks to assess response to the initial treatment and whether further application is required.
The results of CryoPen™ treatment are permanent, however it can take more than one application to remove the lesion. A follow up visit is recommended after 2-4 weeks to assess response to the initial treatment and whether further application is required.
Yes, because of the reduced discomfort, we are often able to treat younger patients without distress. You will be asked to fill in a parental consent form before your child’s treatment.
Call us today for a free no obligation consultation to learn more about this revolutionary treatment.