What To Expect For Your Verruca Infection

One of the most common and contagious problems people face in regard to their feet is the development of Verrucas. Verrucas are not picky, and can affect pretty much anyone, of all ages. In fact, most people have gotten a verruca at least once before. Verrucas are very easily confused with warts, but it’s to be noted that they are not warts itself, but are technically a type of wart. Both warts and Verruca infections are formed because of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Verrucas are also very commonly confused with corns, but you must know the differences so you can treat them accordingly.

This article will give you some insight into what exactly verrucas on feet are, why they form, how they can be treated, and how you can tell them apart from other common foot problems.

Verruca or verruca infections are a virus. It is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and is highly contagious. Verrucas on feet are commonly spotted on the soles of the areas around one’s toes. These viruses thrive in moist environments and tend to cyclically be an outbreak in children at the park (like hand, foot, mouth disease). Verrucas tend to look kind of like cauliflowers, but then they flatten up because of pressure when they are on the soles of your feet.

Sometimes verrucas can be painless, but more often than not they are very uncomfortable and even painful to deal with. They can disappear overnight, or can be persistent for years on end.

Verrucas are caused by infection on your skin by the HPV virus. They are highly contagious and so they spread from person to person in a seemingly never ending cycle. They are spread through both direct and indirect skin contact.

You’re very likely to get affected by a verruca on your foot if your skin is wet or damaged, which is why swimming pools and communal showers serve as breeding grounds for verruca infections. They’re so contagious that you can even infect yourself! If you touch your infection and then touch other parts of your body, the infection can spread and affect those areas too.

You’re also very likely to develop a verruca if your immune system isn’t running smoothly and you’re generally prone to illnesses. This may occur due to a medical condition or because you’re taking immunosuppressant medications.

There are some safety precautions that are integral when you or someone you know has been affected by a verruca infection. To prevent the further spread of verrucas, please follow these guidelines below:

• Don’t be barefoot in communal showers, try to wear at least flip flops
• Always cover your verruca with a plaster if you plan on going swimming
• Never scratch at or pick on your verruca because this will help it spread
• Never share towles, shoes, and socks
• If you have verrucas on your fingers, don’t bite your nails and try not to touch things too much
• If you choose to use a pumice stone on your verruca, do not let anyone else use the same one

There are many ways you can go about treating a verruca infection. Thought they normally go away with time, if you find yourself plagued with verrucas on your feet and they’re either painful or just an eyesore, here’s a few treatments:

1. Home Remedies:

• A great home remedy is taking a piece of banana skin and cutting it to be the same size as the verruca on your feet. Then, go ahead and place the piece of banana skin on the verruca and secure it with a plaster. Do this for about two weeks, every night before bed.
• Garlic is an all-round cure-all and is generally just really good for your health. You can use garlic to treat your verruca as well. Take a piece of garlic and put it over your verruca infection and secure it with a plaster. If you do this daily for a month, your verruca should go away.
• A study was done in which it was proven that duct tape surprisingly helps get rid of verrucas. Take a piece of duct tape and cover your verruca with it, and it should go away in a few weeks.

2. Medication:

• There are many creams, medicated plasters, and gels that you can use to aid the treatment of your verruca. Most of these are readily available as over the counter products, so you can get them at your local pharmacy.
• Salicylic acid is the key ingredient in all of these products and this is what actually treats your verruca. It helps soften the verruca significantly.
• Never use salicylic acid products on your face because that can lead to some really bad scarring. Also, if you have pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, consult your doctor before using these products.

3. Cryotherapy:Cryotherapy is a very effective way to remove your verruca. It is the process in which your verruca is frozen with liquid nitrogen, which makes it fall off. If you’re interested in cryotherapy, please visit a podiatrist and never try to do this on your own. It can lead to scarring and is typically also mildly painful, so it’s not a great option for children and people who are sensitive to pain.

4. Check In With Your Podiatrist:The best way to treat anything related to your feet is by visiting a podiatrist. They are experts at all things foot-related and will be able to treat your verruca with ease and painlessly. When you visit a podiatrist, they will most likely use SWIFT Machine Treatment to get rid of your verruca. SWIFT is a very quick and efficient way to treat verrucas, it’s in the name itself! SWIFT uses microwave energy for verruca removal. To learn more about what you can expect from SWIFT treatment, read our article on this topic!

A lot of people find themselves asking, “do I have a verruca or corn?”. It’s very easy to get confused between a verruca or corn, so it’s always good to know the main differences, so you can treat it accordingly.

• Verrucas are viruses, while corns are cone shaped hard pieces of skin.
• Verrucas are contagious, corns are not.
• Verrucas often are shaped like a cauliflower and they tend to have a black spot in the center, while corns have a more uniform cone-like shape.
• Verrucas can happen to anyone, while corns are more likely to show up in people with dryer skin.
• Verrucas are not as raised and yellow as corns are.

These are just a few key observable differences that’ll help you identify if you have a verruca or a corn. If you want to learn more about these differences in depth, please read this article.

Now that you know what a verruca is and how you can tell if you have a verruca or corn, you may want to see a podiatrist for further treatment or to get rid of your verruca entirely. If you’re looking for verruca treatment in Beaconsfield, Bucks Foot Clinic is the best option for you! We have trained professionals who’ll be able to deal with your verruca infection with ease. Book an appointment with us for hassle-free consultation and verruca treatment in Beaconsfield!

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us