Verruca

Verrucae are raised areas of skin, sometimes painful, that appear on the feet as a result of a viral infection (a strain of the HPV, Human Papilloma Virus, which is part of the wart family of viruses). Verrucae can vary in shape, size and appearance for many, but usually present as a lump of hard skin with rough or raised texture. They can often be mistaken for corns which can look similar. Verrucae however are usually irregular in shape, tend to be whiter in colour, and can sometimes be distinguished by a small blackish dot at the centre. Your Podiatrist can advise you on which is which if you’re not sure.

If left untreated verrucae can spread to other parts of the foot and can also be passed to others as the virus is contagious. There are lots of different treatments for verrucae, some of which are designed to target the virus itself, and some of which are a ‘trigger’ for your body’s own immune system to kickstart it into action. Treatment success can vary from person to person although they tend to be more difficult to treat in children and older people.

• CLINIC TREATMENT: verrucae can be treated in a number of ways during a routine podiatry treatment, and some stores also offer Swift microwave therapy which has an impressive success rate – find your nearest clinic here and contact them for more information
  
• HOME APPLICATIONS: targeted products such as the Bazuka range can help to tackle verrucae at home (always follow the instructions carefully as these contain powerful active ingredients)
• TAKE PRECAUTIONS: if you or a member of your family have a verruca you should not share towels or socks, and should always have feet covered when walking on shared surfaces such as bathroom floors