Wart Removal Lasers

[Andy]

Let me start by saying that I know this is a terrible idea and I'm not really considering trying it. I'm just curious.

I've got a wart on my foot that I've had for a long time, nothing seems to kill it (I've been to the doctor for cryotherapy a few times, tried ductape, salicylic acid, burning it, and gouging with razor blades).. Anyway, since I'm building my laser, it got me wondering what kind of lasers they use for wart removal. A quick Google search tells me that the are about 595 nanometers (if this is wrong, correct me). I'm just wondering if anybody knows why they picked that wavelength? I'm guessing that it penetrates the epidermis better. Would other wavelengths work? Any idea what kind of power they use?

Edit: if this is in the wrong forum, please move it, I wasn't 100% sure where it fit.

 

[JLSE]

I had a small one on a finger, a 300mW red made sure it didnt come back ;D Hurts like hell though :-/ The red laser (if your skin is light) needs a black spot to get it going

 

[lasersbee]

I had a small one on a finger, a 300mW red made sure it didnt come back ;D Hurts like hell though :-/ The red laser (if your skin is light) needs a black spot to get it going

I take back everything I said about you.... : : :

 

[billg519]

This sounds extremely painful! I know that shining the beam of a strong bluray or green on my hand will sting very quickly ... Also probably not good to use just any old laser on yourself. Medical lasers are designed not to cause DNA or tissue damage or cause other unwanted radiation effects. Different wavelengths and powers can have very different effects, not all of them good.

 

[rkcstr]

Warts are a viral infection that persists in a latent phase by inserting its viral DNA into the basal (bottom) layer of the epithelial cells causing them to overgrow.  Usually these kind of things go away with time (I've had a few and they just went away after a couple years), but the freeze method seems to be most common for skin or planter's (foot) warts.  However, it won't necessarily go away even with treatment since it will still remain dormant in the skin.

An article I read online talked about using CO2 laser (typically high wavelength, 10600nm?) for treatment of more severe cases, but I don't think it would come to that for you

 

[LRMNmeyer]

I wish I could get rid of the warts on my elbow... I've put duct-tape on them, Compound-W, had them frozen three times, and have been trying Compound-W again. They always come back. :'( I've had them since I was four. I actually have been wearing a Band-aid over them as they're ugly with the white gunk on them.

On topic: If it was a 593/4nm laser you need, it would be really expensive and probably not enough to do anything. The strongest available is around 20mW; enough to maybe pop a sharpied balloon with a lens, but that's it.

 

[rocketparrotlet]

595nm would be a yellow laser, and they are much too unstable to be practical. From what I have heard (not that I recommend this), blu-ray or green is not a good color for removing warts/pimples, but red works well if you Sharpie it black.

-Mark

 

[JLSE]

[quote author=wannaburn link=1227324318/0#1 date=1227324886]I had a small one on a finger, a 300mW red made sure it didnt come back ;D Hurts like hell though :-/ The red laser (if your skin is light) needs a black spot to get it going

I take back everything I said about you.... : : :[/quote]
:-?

Est-ce bon ou mauvais?

 

[Schrecken_Licht]

I'm sure a CO2 laser would do the job - that would vaporize any flesh - wart-infected or not!

 

[MarioMaster]

you could use the SSY-1 YAG laser to vaporize the top layers of skin ;D

 

[artix]

I one had a wart on my foot. It was a couple years ago... And we went to our doctor and he takes out this huge thermos and it was filled with liquid nitrogen. So he take a little q-tip and freezes it, then puts it directly on my wart for about 30 seconds and it really hurt! But after a couple weeks, it shrunk and finally flaked off!

 

[Cyparagon]

I wish I could get rid of the warts on my elbow... I've put duct-tape on them, Compound-W, had them frozen three times, and have been trying Compound-W again. They always come back.   :'( I've had them since I was four. I actually have been wearing a Band-aid over them as they're ugly with the white gunk on them.

On topic: If it was a 593/4nm laser you need, it would be really expensive and probably not enough to do anything. The strongest available is around 20mW; enough to maybe pop a sharpied balloon with a lens, but that's it.

Even if limited to DPSS, there are 1/2W available (ask the frothy chimp) for a mere 20 grand. Dye lasers will emit a few watts. 20mW is just the highest available on ebay  :

they are much too unstable to be practical.

No, the couple hundred dollar yellow lasers are unstable (pocket change in the medical industry)

If your scope of thinking is limited to home remedies and/or burning it off, may I recommend a soldering iron? (as a rule, these are cheaper than a laser)