What should you know about getting warts frozen off?

Warts are rough growths caused by a viral infection in the outer skin. During cryotherapy, a clinician applies very cold treatment to the wart and a small margin around it. The area may sting, become red, swell, or form a blister; a crust can follow as the treated tissue separates. Warts can be stubborn, and follow-up treatment may be discussed if some wart tissue remains.

Tell the clinician if the wart is near the eye, on a nail, on the genitals, or on an area with reduced sensation or poor circulation. Keep the treated site clean, avoid picking a blister or crust, and follow dressing advice. Do not share towels, nail tools, or footwear, and avoid shaving over the wart. If freezing is unsuitable or does not help, options may include [Wart Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/wart-removal/), [Electrosurgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/electrosurgery/), or [Imiquimod Treatment](/treatments/medical-dermatology/imiquimod-therapy/).

Ask for an assessment before freezing a growth that is bleeding, changing, unusually dark, very painful, or not clearly a wart. After treatment, contact a clinician for spreading redness, increasing warmth, pus, fever, severe pain, numbness, or bleeding that does not settle with gentle pressure.

Ask whether the growth has the typical appearance of a wart, what blistering is expected, how to protect nearby skin, when review is needed, and which alternative fits if freezing does not clear it.