What are Verrucae?

Verrucae are commonly warts. They can occur on any part of the body, but we are concerned with those which occur on the feet or toes. The correct name for this type of verruca is Verruca Pedis.
 

What causes Verrucae?

These warts are very common and are considered to be due to a virus infection. There are several types of viruses which cause verrucae (warts). These infections occur generally at swimming baths, on the beach, communal showers, at leisure centres, and of course, schools. Anywhere in fact where people share the same floor surface and walk about with bare feet. It only needs a little scratch in the skin for the virus to enter. However, some people never get them, they have a resistance to them.
 

What do they look like?

They vary in appearance due to whether you have dry skin or a moist skin. With moist skins they appear often as rubbery overgrowths; on dry skins they may appear brownish, rough and crumbly. Frequently they are covered with hard skin.
 

Where do they occur?

Anywhere on the foot. Frequently on the toes, heels, soles of the foot and sometimes between the toes. They can also occur of fingers. They vary in size from a tiny spot to something which may be as much as 1 cm in diameter. They may occur singly or as multiple verrucae. They may occur on one or both feet.
 

Do Verrucae Hurt?

Frequently they do and pain is often felt first thing in the morning when stepping down from the bed. This is because during the night you have rested and the blood supply is not under any pressure, due to standing of course, pain is felt upon pressure. A simple way of testing whether it is a verruca or not is to squeeze the sides. If it hurts more when you do this it is invariably a verruca. However, many verrucae are completely painless.
 

Do only children get Verrucae?

It is true to say that verrucae commonly occur mainly in children and young adults. However, they sometimes occur in more mature people, and this is especially happening now with more adults attending leisure centres and playing more sport.
 

How are Verrucae treated?

It is true to say that many verrucae simply disappear of their own volition. This is because the person develops a resistance to the virus infection and fights it off. However, some do not, and they need help. Your qualified Practitioner will be able to select the best method of treating you verruca, or multiple verrucae. The Practitioner will use either a special ointment or liquid, which has to be applied at regular intervals of between five and seven days. Then it is vital that you return to the Practitioner because these ointments are caustic and destroy the verrucae by gently destruction. You will be told by your Practitioner not to get the dressing wet, and if it does happen, you must always return immediately, because if there is acid in the ointment it could spread onto healthy tissue. Your Practitioner will give you a special advice sheet as to what you should do.
 

Is there a simpler method of treating Verrucae?

Yes there is, using a method called Cryosurgery. It is not surgery in its usual sense, but is a method of freezing the verrucae with a gentle gas and the advantage is that it is frequently quicker in destroying the verruca, often with one application. Another advantage is that it does not matter whether you get the verruca or foot wet whilst it is undergoing treatment. Of course if it blisters or needs a little dressing one must observe normal antiseptic procedures.
 

If you have any doubts about whether you have a verruca then always consult a qualified Practitioner.