Wart and Verruca Removal
Wart and Verruca Removal in Rainford, St Helens
Warts and verrucas are caused by a virus, which is why they are stubborn, why they spread, and why home treatments so often fail to shift them.
At Hannah Clarke Advanced Skin and Beauty in Rainford, they are treated with Cryopen, a precise freezing treatment, by a registered children's nurse. That means children can be treated as well as adults, which very few places offering lesion removal locally can say.
Verrucas in particular are common in children who are barefoot at school or in regular swimming lessons, and they are the ones parents usually arrive having already tried everything from the chemist.
Treatment is carried out with Cryopen, the same medical-grade cryotherapy device used here for skin tag removal, milia and other benign lesions.
Why Verrucas Are Harder Than They Look
Warts and verrucas are viral, and that changes how many sessions they take.
A skin tag generally needs one session, sometimes two. Viral lesions are different. Warts and verrucas can take four to five sessions, and stubborn ones more than that. Anyone promising to clear a verruca in a single visit is not being straight with you.
Areas of the face are delicate, and intimate areas need caution, so both may need more sessions again.
Here is a real example rather than a claim. A child was brought in whose verrucas had multiplied despite his mother trying every home treatment available. He also has cystic fibrosis, which put him at greater risk of infection, so leaving them was not a good option either. The verrucas took around six sessions. Eighteen months on from finishing, they have completely gone with no recurrence.
A word on home kits. They can cause real trauma to the skin. We have seen people who tried to remove skin tags themselves by tying cotton around them, where the cotton has become stuck, the area has swollen, and all it did was prolong the pain.
Your Appointment, and What Happens After
Treatment starts with a consultation to check that you are suitable. The lesion is assessed and photographed for your records.
The treatment itself is a freeze, thaw, freeze process. It feels very cold, like ice, and lasts a matter of seconds. Numbing cream is not usually needed for a single lesion. Allow around twenty minutes for the appointment, although the treatment itself takes seconds.
It can be uncomfortable depending on where the lesion is, but it is generally well tolerated.
Healing. The area may look red and feel a little itchy. Keep it clean and dry. You can shower and bathe as normal, and carry on with your usual activities including the gym. The main thing is to avoid the area becoming infected.
The lesion will typically blister, scab and crust, and that generally falls away within one to two weeks. You come back for a review at two weeks, or sooner if anything concerns you.
Who it is not suitable for. Cryopen is not indicated during pregnancy. Raynaud's is a consideration where we would be treating hands or feet. Lesions in sensitive areas can be treated but need careful thought. In darker Fitzpatrick skin types there is a greater risk of hyperpigmentation after removal, which is one of the reasons the consultation comes first.
If there were anything about a lesion that caused concern, she would speak to your GP with your permission rather than treat it. And if Cryopen were not the right answer, she would tell you where to go instead.
Our salonRainfordTreated by a Registered Children's Nurse
Cryopen at Hannah Clarke is delivered by a registered children's nurse.
That matters here more than on most treatments. It means children can be treated, which very few salons offering lesion removal can say, and it means clinical judgement about what should and should not be treated in the first place.
There is no upper age limit either. Clients range from children with verrucas through to people in later life having lesions removed that have bothered them for years.
If a lesion is not suitable for Cryopen, or if there is anything about it that raises a question, she will say so, and with your permission she will speak to your GP rather than treat it.
Wart and Verruca Removal Prices
| Treatment | Price |
|---|---|
| Cryopen single lesion | £60 |
| Cryopen multiple small lesions | £100 |
| Cryopen large areas | £150 |
Prices may vary slightly depending on the practitioner carrying out your treatment. Check the booking page for the latest prices and availability.
No Filter, Just Results
Wart and Verruca Removal: The Questions Everyone Asks
Can you treat children with warts and verrucas?
Yes. Treatment is delivered by a registered children's nurse, so children are treated as well as adults. Verrucas are especially common in children who are barefoot at school or in regular swimming lessons.
How many sessions do warts and verrucas take?
Warts and verrucas are viral, so they take longer than something like a skin tag. Typically four to five sessions, and stubborn ones can take more. Facial and intimate areas may need more again.
My child's verrucas keep coming back. Can they be treated?
Yes, and stubborn recurring verrucas are one of the most common reasons people come in. One child treated here had verrucas that kept multiplying despite every home treatment being tried. They took around six sessions, and eighteen months later they have not returned.
Are home wart and verruca kits worth trying first?
Many people arrive having already tried them. They can cause trauma to the skin, and attempts like tying cotton around a lesion tend to make things worse rather than better.
What if my lesion is not suitable?
You will be told. Some lesions, moles in particular, may need minor surgery rather than freezing, and you will be signposted to the right service. If anything about a lesion raises a question, she will speak to your GP with your permission rather than treat it.
Who carries out the treatment?
A registered children's nurse, which means children can be treated as well as adults, and there is no upper age limit.
Does it hurt?
It feels very cold, like ice, for a few seconds. It can be uncomfortable depending on the location, but it is generally well tolerated. Numbing cream is not usually needed for a single lesion.
How long is the appointment?
Around twenty minutes, although the treatment itself takes seconds.
What happens afterwards?
The area may be red and slightly itchy. Keep it clean and dry. You can shower, bathe and carry on with normal activities including the gym. The lesion typically blisters, scabs and crusts, and that falls away within one to two weeks. You return for a review at two weeks.
Who cannot have Cryopen?
It is not indicated during pregnancy. Raynaud's is a consideration when treating hands or feet. Lesions in sensitive areas can be treated but need careful thought. In darker Fitzpatrick skin types there is a greater risk of hyperpigmentation, which is one reason the consultation comes first.
How much does it cost?
Cryopen is £60 for a single lesion, £100 for multiple small lesions and £150 for larger areas. Your nurse confirms which applies at your consultation. Very large areas or high numbers of lesions are priced bespoke, per canister, and confirmed at your consultation.
Get the Lowdown
While You're in the Chair...
Book Wart and Verruca Removal
Book online, or call or WhatsApp us on 07514 307 552 if you would like to talk it through first.
Come and Be Nosy on Instagram
