Warts are common skin growths that can be stubborn, uncomfortable or simply unwelcome. At PSSC, wart removal starts at $495 + HST and no referral is needed.
Warts can catch on clothing, become sore, or be hard to ignore when they are in a visible area such as the face or hands. Some people have a single wart that has not gone away. Others have several.
Wart assessment and removal at our Newmarket clinic is performed by Dr. Victoria Hayward, Chief of Plastic Surgery at Southlake Regional Health Centre and a board-certified plastic surgeon. Wart removal is one of several minor procedures offered at our clinic. PSSC also sees patients from surrounding communities and the broader region.
Not every rough bump is a wart
Warts can look similar to other skin growths, including moles, skin tags and lesions that need a closer look.
Dr. Hayward will assess the area before treatment and determine whether the growth looks consistent with a wart or whether it should be managed differently.
This is particularly important if a growth is changing, bleeding without an obvious reason, becoming painful, growing quickly or otherwise behaving differently. A changing or unusual growth should be medically assessed as soon as possible rather than simply assumed to be a wart. See when a changing spot needs assessment.
How warts are removed
Warts are removed with a minor procedure.
The area is numbed with local anesthetic before treatment. You may feel a brief sting from the freezing needle, but the removal itself should be comfortable. You are awake throughout and can drive yourself home afterward.
The approach depends on the wart's size, location and appearance. Where appropriate, the wart can be removed during the same appointment as your consultation.
Warts in visible areas
Location matters. This is most important for warts on the face, hands or other visible areas, where the approach and closure are planned around the surrounding skin.
Dr. Hayward has years of extensive training and experience in scar management and uses precise plastic-surgery techniques designed to minimize scarring where possible.
Can a wart come back?
Warts are caused by a virus, so a wart can sometimes return after removal, either in the same spot or nearby. Dr. Hayward will talk through what to expect for your situation at your consultation.
Removing more than one wart
It is common to have more than one wart. Multiple warts can often be removed during the same appointment.
How many can reasonably be treated at once depends on their size, location and appearance. Dr. Hayward will assess the areas and confirm the treatment plan and pricing at your consultation, before anything is performed.
Will wart removal leave a scar?
Any procedure that removes something from the skin can leave a temporary mark or some degree of scarring. How noticeable that becomes depends on the wart's size and location, the technique required and how your skin heals.
Every removal uses plastic-surgery closure technique to minimize scarring. This is standard with every procedure, not an add-on.
Our Advanced Medical Aesthetician is available before and after the procedure to discuss scar-management options, including topical products that may support healing and help improve the appearance of the treated area over time.
How much does wart removal cost?
Wart removal at our clinic starts at $495 + HST. Wart removal is a self-pay procedure and is not covered by OHIP. See how OHIP coverage works. See what removal costs.
The final cost depends on the number of warts, their size and location, and is confirmed at your consultation before anything is performed.
No procedure is performed until the recommended treatment and pricing have been discussed and you have agreed to proceed.
Same-day assessment and treatment
Warts can frequently be assessed and removed during the same appointment.
We appreciate that most patients would rather avoid an unnecessary second visit, and our clinic aims to assess and treat warts at one appointment whenever medically appropriate.