Wangsimni Dermatology Clinic: CO2 Laser Removal for Warts and Corns, Compared with Cryotherapy

Warts and corns that get worse in spring

Hello, this is Raon Dermatology Clinic :)

As the winter cold recedes and warm spring breezes begin to blow, our body’s biological rhythm also undergoes many changes. In particular, during this period when outdoor activities increase rapidly, more and more people experience discomfort while walking because of hard nodules on the soles of the feet or fingers! Many people assume they are just calluses and leave them untreated, only to visit the clinic after the pain worsens or spreads to nearby areas, so caution is needed. Today, we will look at the characteristics of warts and corns, which may look similar but have completely different causes, and explain in detail the medical care methods appropriate for each condition.

Warts and corns that get worse in spring

Warts and corns

Correctly distinguishing between warts and corns is the first step in setting the right treatment direction. Warts are a contagious skin condition caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), whereas corns are a physical phenomenon in which the stratum corneum thickens into a cone shape due to continuous pressure and friction on a specific area! Warts are characterized by black dots caused by pinpoint bleeding when the surface of the lesion is scraped away, while corns have a transparent, hard "core" in the center, making the difference clear even to the naked eye!

The way pain is felt is also a key indicator that separates the two conditions. Corns tend to cause sharp pain when pressed straight down from above, whereas warts typically hurt more when pinched from the sides than when pressed! Above all, because warts are viral, touching or picking at the lesion can easily spread it to nearby skin, and there is also a significant risk of transmitting it to others. Corns, on the other hand, are not contagious, but they can cause chronic pain and lead to an imbalance in walking, so prompt action through professional diagnosis is advisable.

Warts and corns

Why do they get worse in spring?

The reason these skin conditions are especially common in spring can be found in environmental factors and changes in lifestyle habits. Large temperature swings between day and night during the seasonal transition, along with dry air, weaken the skin’s defenses and create an environment where viruses can thrive. Taking advantage of weakened immune function, the wart virus enters through small wounds and settles deep in the skin to multiply! As the weather warms and the use of public places and outdoor activities increases, more frequent contact with others also becomes a direct background factor in the spread of warts :)

At the same time, changes in footwear are a major cause of worsened corn symptoms. If you switch from roomy, soft shoes worn throughout winter to flats or loafers with thin, hard soles, strong pressure will be applied to specific points on the foot, right? If the time spent walking suddenly increases because of spring outings, the skin will keep building up thicker layers of keratin to withstand the load! This accumulated physical stress eventually forms a hard core and develops into a painful corn, so proper foot care according to seasonal changes must be carried out as well.

<Why they get worse in spring>

• Warts: lowered immunity due to large temperature swings, yellow dust, and other factors

• Increased outdoor activity, easily spread to surrounding areas

• Corns: thin or hard shoes / increased walking time / pressure on the feet

Why do they get worse in spring?

CO2 laser treatment

To effectively remove firmly established lesions, a CO2 laser is needed. The carbon dioxide laser with a wavelength of 10,600 nm has very high absorption by water, making it excellent at precisely vaporizing and removing the target area! The moment the laser energy touches the skin tissue, it is converted into thermal energy, physically destroying the unnecessary stratum corneum and lesion tissue. In particular, in the case of corns, it can accurately target and remove the deep core that is the main cause of pain, so the improvement patients feel immediately after treatment is very noticeable.

It also has the major advantage of causing almost no bleeding because it immediately coagulates the tiny surrounding blood vessels during the removal process. The procedure time is short, hemostasis is quick, and returning to daily life is easy, while the removed condition can be checked immediately, so the physical burden on the patient is relatively low! It is mainly used to treat small warts or corns whose roots are not deep, and because it allows precise irradiation, damage to surrounding normal tissue can be minimized. After treatment, a scab forms over the area and the regeneration process begins, so carefully following the medical staff’s instructions for disinfection and ointment application is essential.

<Advantages of CO2 laser treatment>

• Lesions can be removed immediately and precisely

• Short procedure time / rapid hemostasis

• The removed state can be checked immediately afterward

CO2 laser treatment

Cryotherapy

In the case of multiple warts that are large in size or numerous, cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen is a more suitable alternative. It involves spraying ultra-low-temperature liquid nitrogen, which reaches -196 degrees Celsius, onto the lesion to rapidly freeze the tissue and then repeatedly thaw it. Through such rapid temperature changes, tiny ice crystals form inside the cells, physically destroying the membranes of virus-infected cells. Afterward, blood supply to the area is cut off, the wart tissue gradually necrotizes, new skin grows in, and the lesion falls off.

Cryotherapy is advantageous because, beyond simply scraping away the lesion, it promotes the immune response of the surrounding tissue and helps eliminate the virus. The process is simple enough to be performed without anesthesia, and the possibility of scarring is remarkably low, so it is often used to treat areas that are frequently exposed, such as the hands and feet! It usually needs to be repeated several times at 2- to 3-week intervals to completely remove any remaining virus, and blisters may form during the treatment process, but this is a natural response for tissue regeneration, so if you manage it according to the given instructions without popping them on your own, stable recovery is possible :)

<Advantages of cryotherapy>

• Almost no bleeding during treatment

• Very low possibility of scarring

• Helpful in lowering recurrence rates

Cryotherapy

Comparative analysis of treatment methods

Although warts and corns may look similar on the outside, their true nature is clearly different, so a medical approach tailored to each condition is more important than anything else. If you want to precisely remove the core of a corn and immediately relieve the pain, CO2 laser is a practical option! On the other hand, for warts, which are highly contagious and deeply rooted, using cryotherapy to kill the virus while also inducing an immune response is more favorable for preventing recurrence! Since both methods have clear advantages and disadvantages, you should consult a specialist and choose the method that best suits your condition.

Some people may try to forcibly pick off lesions at home using nail clippers or a knife, but this can directly cause secondary infection or worsening of symptoms, so it must never be done. You should also choose comfortable shoes to distribute pressure on the soles of the feet and maintain a good hygiene routine in daily life! If even a small nodule starts to feel uncomfortable, do not delay—get an accurate diagnosis early and regain healthy skin. Medical care provided at the right time is the clearest way to prevent further spread and chronic pain :)

Comparative analysis of treatment methods

Causes & treatment methods for warts and corns