|
|
|
 |
 |
| |
| Typical costs: | - The cost of wart removal varies based on the size and number of warts, their location on the body and the method of treatment used. Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus, and can be contagious or cause irritation and pain; removal generally is covered by health insurance. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers a primer on warts.
- Wart removal typically costs $30 or less for home treatment with an over-the-counter product.
- Wart removal typically costs about $190 total for intralesional immunotherapy, a relatively new removal method that usually requires three treatments.
- Wart removal typically costs about $360 total for pulsed dye laser therapy, which usually requires one to three treatments.
- Wart removal typically costs $610 total for cryotherapy -- or, freezing. That includes and initial visit and three to four follow-up treatments.
What should be included: | - Most over-the-counter products use salicylic acid, and come in various forms -- including gel, liquid, solid stick and stick-on strips or pads.
- In intralesional immunotherapy, the physician injects an antigen into the wart, stimulating the immune system to clear the virus causing the wart. If the patient has other warts, those often disappear as well.
- In pulsed dye laser therapy, the physician uses a laser to cauterize the blood vessels that supply the wart; deprived of blood supply, the wart usually sloughs off.
- In cryotherapy, the physician sometimes pares the skin over the wart, then applies liquid nitrogen to the wart for 10 and 30 seconds and puts a bandage over the wart. Cryotherapy usually is used for plantar warts -- warts on the bottom of the foot that have grown inward because of the pressure of walking -- and often for common warts.
Additional costs: | - Multiple warts can be more expensive to treat -- sometimes as much as triple the cost, depending on the type of treatment.
- Not all treatments are effective, and multiple treatments sometimes must be used before total removal can be achieved. Sometimes a chemotherapeutic agent, Bleomycin, is used as a last-resort treatment for warts that do not respond to other therapies. It usually requires only one treatment, and costs about $495.
Discounts: | - Tip: For less than $10, duct tape can be used at home to remove a wart not on the genitals or face, but it can take up to two months. The American Academy of Family Physicians gives instructions
- Warts often will clear up on their own if left alone, but this can take months or years.
Shopping for wart removal: | - Warts can sometimes be self-treated with over-the-counter products, but this can take weeks or months. People with diabetes or other major illnesses, or those who are concerned about scarring at the site of the wart, should see a doctor. Walgreens.com and CVS.com offer a variety of non-prescription treatments.
- Warts also can be professionally removed by a general practitioner or a dermatologist. Genital warts should always be treated by a professional. Consult your general practitioner about treatment. Or, The American Academy of Dermatology offers a list of board-certified dermatologists by location.
|
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
|
Article updated November 2007 |
|
Digg this
del.icio.us
E-mail
Post