# Canned Air - Can I use it to freeze warts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766 "2003-10-21T21:07:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/21 "2003-10-31T20:08:16Z")
I froze a wart with regular dry ice once. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/22 "2003-10-31T22:01:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheese Monster \* > \*\*-26 is a temperature at which you’d go out and function, but only without exposed skin - it’s DAMNED cold. Frostbite occurs at, what, -30 celsius? \*\* You can go out with your cheeks exposed at -30 celsius. It’s not especially fun but your skin doesn’t fall off in 20 minutes. Sigh. Winter is approaching, I’ll get to find this out firsthand once again. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/23 "2003-10-31T23:09:07Z")
I’m actually giggling as I read **Cheese Monster** ’s post. I’ve gone out in -30 (-40 or less with windchill) with a bare face and hands and not gotten frostbite! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/24 "2003-10-31T23:32:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LaurAnge \* > \*\*You can go out with your cheeks exposed at -30 celsius. It’s not especially fun but your skin doesn’t fall off in 20 minutes. > > Sigh. Winter is approaching, I’ll get to find this out firsthand once again. \*\* That’s because air doesn’t transmit temperature very effectively. I can be in a sauna that’s 100 degrees warm for 20 minutes without getting any burns or problems, but if I dip my hand in boiling water for 20 minutes I won’t be so lucky. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/25 "2003-10-31T23:56:51Z")
You should be able to get frost bite as soon as it’s down to freezing if you _stay out long enough_. Most people don’t. That’s the reason you can wander around in the winter; in fact I just got back in from -13C (-21C with wind chill). My ears feel a little sore, that’s it. Had I stayed out for 6 hours in the wind I wouldn’t be bragging. Of course it takes longer to get frostbite at -5 than -26… ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/26 "2003-11-01T15:44:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoneburg \* > \*\*That’s because air doesn’t transmit temperature very effectively. I can be in a sauna that’s 100 degrees warm for 20 minutes without getting any burns or problems, but if I dip my hand in boiling water for 20 minutes I won’t be so lucky. \*\* And if you recall, we are talking about canned air. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/27 "2003-11-01T16:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LaurAnge \* > \*\*And if you recall, we are talking about canned air. \*\* Actually, it’s the _liquid propellant_ in the canned air that we’re talking about. Or did I miss hearing a big whoosh as you sprayed some in my direction? ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/28 "2003-11-01T16:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoneburg \* > \*\*I have had it applied to… my penis. \*\* That must have been some **serious** shrinkage. ---
**Author:** ![olefin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@olefin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olefin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/29 "2003-11-01T16:53:45Z")
Many years ago I used liquid propylene (boils at minus 45, available where I worked) to freeze off a large wart on my thumb. I made a little container from poly styrene to contain the propylene around the wart so not do freeze area outside of the wart. Worked great, the wart came off in few days! A few years later I heard that doctors were using liquid N2 to do the same thing. N2 is much colder and safer for it is inert. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766/30 "2003-11-01T18:48:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danalan \* > \*\*Actually, it’s the _liquid propellant_ in the canned air that we’re talking about. Or did I miss hearing a big whoosh as you sprayed some in my direction? \*\* Umm… nope. I feel really dumb. This thread makes a lot more sense now. And I’m reminded why I rarely post in GQ. Sorry for hijacking on an incorrect assumption, guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-air-can-i-use-it-to-freeze-warts/208766.md?page=1)