Warts & Verrucas

Warts are small rough lumps on the skin. They’re most common on the hands and face but can appear anywhere on the body. Verrucas are warts that occur on the feet, usually the soles. Warts are highly contagious. They tend to go away on their own throughout one to two years but can take up to ten years to disappear. Many people opt for over-the-counter treatments to speed things along. Warts are common, most people will experience at least one in their lifetime. 

Warts can be itchy and painful. Some are round or flat and even yellow in colour. They can appear in clusters. See a GP if a growth on the skin causes concern. If a wart keeps returning, if it is large or painful or if it bleeds or changes appearance, seek immediate medical advice from a GP. Face and genital warts cannot be treated with over-the-counter medications. For face warts, see a GP. A sexual health clinic can treat genital warts. 

Verrucas are a type of warts that occur when the outer layer of the skin becomes infected by a virus known as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Verrucas are easily spread from one person to another through contact or sharing of items. Hence, you are advised not to share clothing or towels, especially if you are infected. It takes a while before the verrucas appear; therefore, even if you’ve been infected, it is difficult to detect immediately.

Common signs and symptoms include; pain at the site a wart is developing, itchiness, a rough white lump on the sole of your heel or feet. It will have a black dot at the centre, and with time it may grow back into the skin due to the constant pressure put on the heel. Verrucas may appear clustered together or separately and may bleed if you scratch them. 

The virus that causes warts can live on surfaces and prefers wet surfaces. Do not share towels and razors, even if no wart is present. A cut, even a very small one, leaves a person more open to getting a wart, but they can be caught also if the skin isn’t broken. Do not even share razors with a partner. If a member of the household has a wart on their hand, make sure they use a separate hand towel to the rest of the household. Put all hand towels for washing every 24 hours and replace with a fresh one. Warts can spread from one part of the body to another through skin-to-skin contact. 

Some verrucas go away, but others may take months or years before they disappear. That is why it is essential to treat verrucas. Since they often spread from one area to another when you scratch them, treating verrucas can prevent further infections. Aside from this, even though Verrucas are considered a common condition, they can cause discomfort as they are painful and unsightly.  

Most treatments that treat warts and verrucas contain salicylic acid, which is considered useful in treating warts. It exfoliates the skin until the wart disappears. Salicylic acid also triggers the reproduction of healthy skin cells, which replace the dead skin found on verrucas. 
Verrucas treatment can be found over the counter in the form of gels, creams, plasters or paint. Neither of these medications should come in contact with healthy skin or your face. 
Other treatments include laser removal, which involves cutting the dead skin cells of the Verruca, and cryotherapy whereby a verruca gets frozen with liquid nitrogen. 
Verruca treatments either work by excision, diminishing the wart until it is replaced by healthy skin or by triggering the reproduction of healthy skin cells to eradicate the verrucas.
Treatment may take weeks or even months, depending on how severe the Verrucas are. 
 

Please note warts can come back after treatment. Some people keep wart treatment in the medicine cabinet. If storing, always check the expiration date and follow storage instructions once open. 

Children are most likely to get warts. They are more prone to the sorts of injuries that let HPV in, such as minor cuts and grazes, although the skin does not need to be broken to spread warts. Children are still learning good hygiene practices. Teach children to wear appropriate footwear, such as flip-flips, around pools. Teach children correct handwashing practices by washing hands with them for at least twenty seconds in warm and soapy water. Hand gels are not as effective as washing hands. If a child has a verruca, make them wear socks or slippers around the house and do not let them share socks, slippers or shoes with anyone. Make sure socks are changed daily and washed before being worn again. You can stop Verrucas by treating them with medication bought over the counter. To avoid reinfection and recurrence, which is a common complication that people with Verrucas may encounter, ensure that you adhere to the instructions provided on your medication. Also wearing plastic socks at the swimming pool if you seem to catch them alot.