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 your 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 gentle destruction. 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. The letters MCFHP indicate that the Practitioner concerned is a Member of the Open College of Foot Health Professionals having undertaken extensive training and passed a searching examination. The letters MAFHP denote that the Practitioner is a member of The Association of Foot Health Practitioners. That person undertakes to act professionally in every manner, and adheres to a strict code of professional conduct.
Verrucae are commonly called 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 a 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 on your fingers. They vary in size from a tiny spot to something, which may be as much as 1cm in diameter. They may occur singly or as multiple verrucae. They may also occur on one or both feet.
Do verrucae hurt?
Frequently they do and pain is often felt first thin 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 and of course, pain is then 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.
You are viewing the text version of this site.
To view the full version please install the Adobe Flash Player and ensure your web browser has JavaScript enabled.
Need help? check the requirements page.