If warts are very small and are located only on the skin around the anus, they can be treated with medications, which are applied directly to the surface of the warts. This must be carried out with great care and precision by a doctor to prevent injury to the normal skin surrounding the warts. This method usually requires several treatments performed over several weeks.
Another form of treatment involves more rapid destruction of the warts using an electrical knife, surgical removal or a combination of the two. Laser surgery may also be used but has no advantage over other treatments. These procedures provide immediate results but must be performed using a local anesthetic or general or spinal anesthetic, depending on the number and exact location of warts being treated.
Warts inside the anal canal usually are not suitable for treatment by medications, and in most cases need to be treated by cauterisation or surgical removal.
Must I be hospitalised for treatment?
No. Almost always, the cautery and excision technique can be performed on an outpatient basis, and the patient can go home after the procedure.
How soon can I return to work?
This depends on individual situations and the extent of warts removed. Most people are moderately uncomfortable for a few days after treatment, and pain medication may be prescribed. Depending on the extent of the disease, some people return to work the next day, while others may remain out of work for several days.
Will a single treatment cure the problem?
Not in most cases, unfortunately. Even with the cautery and surgical treatment that immediately destroy existing warts, many patients develop new warts after treatment. This occurs because viruses that cause the warts can live concealed in tissues that appear normal for up to six months or longer before another wart develops. New warts will often develop from the virus that was already present in the tissue, but these are not recurrences of warts already treated.
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