- Home freeze sprays do not reach temperatures as low as the liquid nitrogen used in medical practice, and dermatology guidance says they are likely to be less effective.
- From Monday 9 November 2026, a pharmacist at Laois Pharmacy checks the spot first and decides whether freezing suits you before using a CryoPen.
- Whichever route you choose, most warts need more than one freeze, and some do not respond at all.
- In a UK trial, salicylic acid worked about as well as freezing for verrucas, and many warts clear on their own in time.
A wart freeze spray can look like a quick fix. Here is how it compares with freezing at the pharmacy, and when neither is the right choice.
How a wart freeze spray works
Many home kits use a compressed mix of dimethyl ether and propane, often called DMEP, which reaches about minus 57°C. You hold an applicator against the wart for the time on the label, which for one kit is no longer than 40 seconds.
The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) 2014 guideline says these sprays can be bought without a prescription but do not reach temperatures as low as liquid nitrogen, and are therefore likely to be less effective.
The kit labels we checked say to:
- leave at least two weeks between treatments
- treat the same wart no more than four times in total
- stop if irritation occurs
- see a doctor if the wart has not gone after three treatments, or if it is bigger than 7.5mm
What happens when a pharmacist freezes a wart
The HSE describes freezing as a GP treatment, where the wart scabs over and usually falls off a few weeks later, and it may take a few sessions. From Monday 9 November 2026, Laois Pharmacy also offers wart and verruca freezing (cryotherapy) with a CryoPen. Each session takes about 20 minutes and includes the pharmacist’s assessment of the spot.
It is for ages 16 and over, with under 16s referred to their GP, and is carried out by one of three PSI-registered pharmacists. Read more about wart and verruca freezing in Portlaoise.
Home kit or pharmacy freezing at a glance
| Question | Home freeze kit | Pharmacy freezing |
|---|---|---|
| Who checks it is a wart | You do | A pharmacist, before any freezing |
| What does the freezing | A pressurised gas, often DMEP at about minus 57°C | A CryoPen, used by the pharmacist |
| Age | The labels we checked exclude children under 4 | 16 and over, under 16s see their GP |
| Spacing | At least two weeks apart, and one label allows no more than four treatments on the same wart | Usually two to four weeks apart |
| If it is not suitable for you | You work this out from the label | You pay only the €20 booking fee |
| Is one go enough? | Often not | Most warts need more than one session, and some do not respond |
Does freezing work better than salicylic acid?
Not clearly. A UK trial published in the BMJ in 2011, called EVerT, included 240 people aged 12 and over with a plantar wart, a verruca on the sole of the foot. It compared liquid nitrogen freezing given by a healthcare professional with 50% salicylic acid applied daily for up to eight weeks.
After 12 weeks, 14% of people in each group had complete clearance, and the authors concluded the two were equally effective. A Cochrane review (2012) found no significant difference between freezing and salicylic acid, and said the evidence was more consistent for salicylic acid, though it showed only a modest effect.
The HSE says you can buy creams, plasters and sprays containing salicylic acid from your pharmacy, but they can take up to three months to work, may irritate the skin, do not always work and should not be used on the face. Salactol Collodion 10ml (€6.95) is one example. Our guide to salicylic acid or freezing for verrucas goes into more detail.
Leaving a wart alone is a reasonable choice too. The HSE says warts usually go away on their own, though it may take months or even years, and the BAD guideline calls waiting entirely acceptable for people with a healthy immune system. It notes that about half of children are clear within a year and about two thirds within two years, while in adults warts can be much slower to clear.
Who should not use a home freeze kit
The kit labels we checked say not to use them, or to talk to a doctor first, if you:
- have diabetes, poor blood circulation or a clotting problem
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- want to treat a child under 4
- want to treat the face, groin, genitals or scalp
- are not sure the spot is a wart
The Primary Care Dermatology Society in the UK says freeze spray is not suitable for very young children or people with poor circulation. The UK’s Royal College of Podiatry says people who are pregnant, or who have certain foot or immune conditions, should not treat a verruca themselves. DermNet lists Raynaud disease, cold urticaria and other conditions made worse by cold among the cautions for cryotherapy.
Would you rather a pharmacist looked at it first?
Wart and verruca freezing starts in Portlaoise on Monday 9 November 2026, easy to reach from across Laois, Kildare, Offaly, Carlow and Kilkenny. Each session costs €50, takes about 20 minutes and includes the pharmacist’s assessment, and the €20 online booking fee is taken off on the day. If the pharmacist decides freezing is not right for you, you pay only the €20. Most warts need more than one session, usually two to four weeks apart, and some do not respond. Freezing may sting and blister. Ages 16 and over.
Side effects to expect with any freezing
Freezing can sting and may blister, at home or at the pharmacy. The BAD guideline says people should be told that cryotherapy is painful and may blister. It adds that lighter or darker patches of skin may follow, particularly in people with darker skin types, and advises caution near nerves, tendons and the nail, and in people with poor circulation.
The Primary Care Dermatology Society notes that freezing can leave a scar or an area of discolouration, and can damage the nail permanently if used on the skin around it. A 2022 podiatry leaflet from NHS Lothian in Scotland advises stopping verruca treatment if it becomes unusually painful or the skin around it turns red.
While a verruca clears, see our tips on how to stop verrucas spreading.
When to see your GP
The HSE advises seeing a GP about a wart that:
- keeps coming back
- bleeds
- gets bigger or changes colour
- is on your face or genitals
Talk to your GP before treating a wart yourself if you have diabetes, poor circulation or a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or are not sure the spot is a wart. Under 16s should see their GP.
Common questions
Is a wart freeze spray as cold as liquid nitrogen?
No. Many home sprays use DMEP, at about minus 57°C. The British Association of Dermatologists says these do not get as cold as liquid nitrogen and are likely to be less effective.
How many pharmacy freezing sessions will I need?
Most warts need more than one session, usually two to four weeks apart. Some do not respond at all.
Can I use a home freeze kit on my child?
The kit labels we checked say they are not for children under 4. Our freezing service is for ages 16 and over, so under 16s should see their GP.
What if the pharmacist decides freezing is not right for me?
You pay only the €20 online booking fee. If freezing goes ahead, the €20 is taken off the €50 session price on the day.
Should I try salicylic acid before freezing?
It is a reasonable option. A UK trial found it worked about as well as freezing for verrucas, though it can take up to three months and should not be used on the face. People with diabetes or poor circulation should only use it on a doctor’s advice.
Sources: HSE, Warts and verrucas (last reviewed May 2026); British Association of Dermatologists, Guidelines for the management of cutaneous warts (2014); DermNet, Cryotherapy (2022); Cockayne et al., EVerT trial, BMJ (2011); Kwok et al., Cochrane review of topical treatments for cutaneous warts (2012); Primary Care Dermatology Society, Warts (2025); Royal College of Podiatry, Verrucae; NHS Lothian Podiatry, Verrucae (2022); home freeze kit labels as reproduced by UK retailers.
