How to Know if a Wart Freeze Is Working?
There are several old wives tales for curing wart, including spreading butter on your wart, then letting the dog lick the butter off; sleeping on your favorite quilt for 30 days; and even piercing the wart with a needle until you see blood, then burying the needle in the dirt. Their effectiveness is suspect, but there are over-the-counter wart treatments that don't require letting a toad wet on your wart. One requires freezing the wart with dimethyl ether. Watch your wart closely for signs that your wart freeze is working.
A wart on a man's finger. (Image: EnkiPhoto/iStock/Getty Images)Step 1
Freeze the wart by following the directions of your wart freeze product. Watch for your skin to change from white to red. A blister may form underneath the wart, and you may experience some stinging and tenderness for a day.
Step 2
Watch for small black dots to appear in the center of your wart after two or three days.
Step 3
Keep your wart clean with antibacterial soap, and covered with an adhesive bandage. Do not pick at the black spots or puncture the blisters. These are signs that your wart freeze is working properly.
Step 4
Treat the area again if your wart persists after two weeks. Do not treat your wart more than three times. Talk to your doctor if repeated treatment fails to remove your wart.
Things You'll Need
Wart freeze product
Antibacterial soap
Adhesive bandage
Tip
Do not chew or pick at your skin around your fingernails. This can allow the human papillomavirus that causes warts to infect the area. Wear flip-flops in community showers to avoid contact with the virus. Keep dry, cracked skin moisturized to help avoid warts.
Warning
If stinging and pain persists for more than 24 hours after the initial treatment, seek medical treatment as you may have frozen your skin too deeply. Use wart freeze in a well-ventilated area and wash your hands immediately after treatment. Do not use wart freeze if you cannot clearly see your wart. Wart freeze applied directly to your skin can cause burns and scarring. Do not use: on children 4-years-old or younger; if you are a diabetic or have poor circulation; pregnant or breast feeding; on irritated skin or infected areas; on moles, birthmarks or genital warts.
