This type of procedure is done in a doctor’s office. The technical name for this treatment is electrodesiccation (or cautery) and curettage. Using local anesthesia, the clinician dries the wart with an electric needle and scrapes it away with a scoop-like instrument called a curette. This usually causes scarring. It is usually reserved for warts that don’t respond to other treatments and should generally be avoided on the soles of the feet.