Comparison of the efficacy of CO2 laser versus cryotherapy for the treatment of plantar warts

Warts are benign tumors caused by different types of human papillomavirus. Different methods are used in the treatment of warts. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness, side effects and number of treatment sessions of CO2 laser and cryotherapy in the treatment of plantar warts

Seventy patients (140 feet) with plantar warts on both feet who referred to the dermatology clinic of Farshchian (Sina) Hospital in Hamadan during 2019-2020 were selected by convenience sampling method. The warts were randomly treated with either CO2 laser or cryotherapy on each foot. After treatment, patients were evaluated every two weeks for up to five sessions for requirement of treatment repetitions and assessment the extent of healing. In the cases with non-healing lesion, treatment was repeated once every two weeks for up to five sessions. 

The mean age of the patients was 22.11±8.73 years, and 35.7% were male and 64.3% were female. In the CO2 laser and cryotherapy groups, the frequency of recovery rate was 81.4% and 41.4%, (P<0.001), and the mean number of treatment sessions was 1.90±0.84 and 3.55±0.69 (P<0.001) respectively. Frequency and type of side effects in the CO2 laser and cryotrapy group was pain 25.7% and 94.3% (P<0.001), itching zero and 32.9% (P<0.001), blisters 2.9% and 82.9% (P<0.001) and hyperpigmentation with zero and 12.9% (P=0.003), respectively.

CO2 laser is more effective than cryotherapy in less number of sessions and with less side effects for the treatment of plantar warts