Verruca

If you have a verruca that you would like advice on a possible treatment, make an appointment with a clinic that offers a range of treatment options and has high levels of success

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What is a verruca?

Foot warts (verrucae) are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) of which there are more than 150 different types. However there are generally only 4 main types that affect the feet and each one differs in size, pain, and appearance.

They are non-cancerous and can occur on either weightbearing (where they are often “pushed” into the skin) or non-weightbearing (where they often protrude out from the skin) parts of the foot. Despite popular belief, they do not have “roots” nor do they necessarily have “black dots” which are just dried spots of blood that can appear in verruca tissue. Frequently they are associated with hardening of the skin which can be a cause of discomfort.

Public understanding of viruses has come a long way due to Covid-19, including the acceptance that there is no quick fix for viral infections and that different people experience different severity of symptoms and different treatment effectiveness. This is the same for verrucae and their treatments.

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Verruca Treatment In Southam, Warwickshire

There is a wide variety of treatments available for verrucae, but nothing is 100% effective in all cases. At our clinic we take our time to understand our patient’s wants, needs, and expectations so that they have all the appropriate information required to make an informed decision about any treatment option. This includes for parents of any children who present with verrucae. Note that not all treatment options will be suitable for all patients, and that certain corns & skin cancers can look like verrucas and vica versa. So getting a professional diagnosis and suitable treatment plan from all of the options below is very important:

Tincture of time

Occlusive taping

Stronger acids

Verrutop

Cryospray

Falknor’s needling

Laser therapy

Weak acids typically sold over the counter

Imiquimod

Liquid nitrogen

SWIFT microwave therapy

Electrosurgery / Hyfrecation

Surgical excision

The starred options are the ones that we currently have available for patients. Very few (if any) are available on the NHS.

How do we contract and prevent verrucas?

It used to be thought that moisture played an important role in the spread of verrucae eg at swimming pools. However we now know that infection occurs when there has been microtrauma to the skin barrier that allows entry of the human papillomavirus (HPV) either from direct contact with viral particles (from another verruca) or indirectly from surfaces such as footwear, flooring, towels etc.

The HPV can survive several months or even years on such surfaces, and there can be an incubation period of 1-20 months before the virus becomes established in skin cells. As such it makes it quite difficult to prevent the spread of verrucae as microtrauma of our skin occurs all the time, especially when we are barefoot.

Whilst there is no real evidence that good foot hygiene can help prevent the spread of verrucae, it makes sense to keep our feet in as good condition as possible through regular washing and drying (including between the toes). Wearing footwear appropriate to the demands placed on our feet is also good advice.

So if you have a verruca that you would like advice on a possible treatment, make an appointment with a clinic that offers a range of treatment options and has high levels of success.

Book an Appointment Online

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In an average lifetime our feet carry us the equivalent of five times around the world. It's not surprising that they need some first aid from time to time. You only get one pair so look after your feet!

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Disclaimer

The contents of this website including any details given about conditions and treatments are for information purposes only and must not be used as a guide for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. Health First and Feet First (Southam) Limited do not accept any responsibility if the information held on these pages is used in any other way except for personal enquiry.