Treatment and Prevention of Verrucae
A painful or unsightly verruca, or simply verrucae that are spreading will require treatment. General treatments can be purchased over the counter at your local pharmacy for home use,
Specialist, often more effective treatment, is offered by our Foot Health Professionals at We Fix Feet.
Swift Verruca Treatment
Swift verruca treatment is the new alternative to painful cryotherapy, acids and ablative lasers. It provides patients with an easy, effective and precise way of treating plantar warts (verrucae). On average patients require 3 treatments, usually 15-minute appointments, over an 8 week period. We will be able to advise you further based on your specific condition.
Swift verruca treatment is available at our footcare clinics in Beeston and Ilkeston.
Other available in-clinic treatments include:
- Plasma Verruca Treatment – relatively painless treatment, destroying the verruca using thermal energy. Suitable for children and adults.
- Verrutop – particularly suitable for children, a fast, painless treatment, it is 90% effective on those who have between 3 and 6 treatment sessions.
- Cryotherapy Verucca Treatment – freezing the wart to -89°C.
What is a Verruca?
Verrucae (Plantar Warts) are found on the feet, but can be found on the hands too (Warts). They are small viral lesions, rough lumps or
growths, caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The virus thrives in wet or damp environments and can be easily spread through direct
person-to-person contact.
Symptoms of a Verruca
- They often (but not always) have visible black dots in the centre (blood capillaries)
- They can be painful because when standing, the weight of your body can force them to grow back into the skin
- Verrucae vary in size and depth
- Can be single or a cluster if close together (mosaic verruca)
- Can cause skin/callous to build-up
- A source of embarrassment
- May have an impact on your daily life
How to help prevent Verrucae
- Avoid walking barefoot in communal showers or changing rooms and don’t share towels or bath-mats.
- Avoid touching or scratching the area as it is likely to cause further spread.
A compromised immune system may increase the risk of viral lesions such as verrucae and warts. Stress, pregnancy, puberty, and illness are all factors that could increase the risk of viral infection of the HPV virus.
What causes Verrucae?
Verrucae are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is contagious through direct contact. It thrives in warm, moist environments such as swimming pools, communal changing rooms, floors and bathrooms. It is possible to contract a verruca simply by walking across the same floor area as someone who has a verruca. The general information provided here does not constitute medical advice. You should consult with a suitably qualified foot health care clinician.
- Highly contagious and spread through person-to-person contact
- Spread when the skin is scuffed, broken, soft or wet
- Common in children and gym-goers
- Can spread to other parts of the body
Swift Microwave
Suitable for longstanding and stubborn verruca.- Procedure Time: 10 Seconds to 20 minutes depending on size and number of verruca
- Recovery Time: Nil – no downtime
- No of Treatments: Usually 3 – 4 treatments (depending on immune response)
- Treatment Interval: 3 appointments every 4 weeks, 4th after 3 months
- Pain: Some discomfort during treatment that quickly subsides
- Dressings: Usually none are required
Verrutop
Suitable for children- Procedure Time: 5 – 20 minutes depending on size and number of verruca
- Recovery Time: Nil – no down-time
- No of Treatments: Usually requires 3 – 6 treatments depending on verruca
- Treatment Interval: 3 – 6 appointments at 2 or 3 week intervals
- Pain: Usually a pain-free treatment
- Dressings: Requires twice daily application of surgical spirit