Verrucae

Verrucae are notoriously difficult to treat and can be the cause of much
distress and anxiety to those who have them. There are many treatments
available, many claiming to be able to remove your verrucae quickly. In reality,
everyone's verrucae are different. The smallest wart can be the most persistent
and take the longest to treat and unfortunately, there is no guarantee of
success with any single treatment. People tend to try home treatments first or consult
a podiatrist for expert advice and treatment.
Here at Hitchin Chiropody and Podiatry we use the innovative dry needling process which is only available to podiatrists who can use local anaesthetic

 There are also simple and
quite often, effective steps that you can follow at home -     

• Do not pick the verruca as you may spread it around your hands and
  feet.


• File the surface of the verrucae daily with a disposable emery board. Do not
  reuse any single emery board as you will be reinfecting the skin


• Many people choose to use a specific wart preparation at this stage.
  Available from pharmacies, most preparations contain salicylic acid in varying
  strengths. Be aware that this is an acid designed to destroy cells and care must
  be taken to apply it only to the area of verruca and not the surrounding skin.
  Diabetics should not use these products or any
  products containing acids.


• Cover the verruca with a waterproof plaster. This encourages the skin to
  become soggy, reducing the strength of the skin and making it easier to remove.
  It also prevents cross infection to other parts of your feet and to other
  people. Change the plaster daily.


• When in communal areas (such as changing rooms or around a swimming pool)
  avoid walking barefoot. Wear verruca socks or flip flops.


• If this process is unsuccessful, see a podiatrist for more advanced
  treatment.

What can a Podiatrist do?      Podiatrists are very experienced in
dealing with verrucae and advising the best treatment for you. Treatments
available include -     

• Caustic therapy - application of strong chemicals designed to destroy
  verruca tissue


• Cryotherapy - destruction of verruca tissue by freezing


• Homeopathic remedies - some podiatrists are now able to offer natural
  remedies for verruca removal
• Padding to reduce pressure on painful areas


• Long term management plan of verrucae including home treatment advice


• In extreme cases Dry needling with local anaesthesia

Prevention of verrucae

• Most verrucae are picked up in communal areas such as swimming pools and gym
  changing rooms, so it is vital to keep feet covered up and avoid walking
  barefoot. Wear flip flops to the pools edge.


• If somebody in your family has a verruca, ensure they are not spreading it
  around  the house in areas such as the bathroom or bare floors. Encourage them to keep
  their feet covered as much as possible and clean showers and baths thoroughly
  after use. It is much easier to adopt these habits for one person than to try
  and eradicate verrucae from an entire family!