Verrucae

A verruca is a wart commonly found on the sole of the foot and toes, causing discomfort and pain on weight bearing areas. Verrucae are viral and are transmitted through skin to skin contact. The virus only infects the outside layers of the skin (epidermis) and so does not trigger the bodies immune system into resolving them. 

Verrucae in children resolve relatively quickly because the skin replenishes itself quickly.  However, in adults the aging process affects the skin cycle which means verrucae are much more difficult to resolve and the skin can feel hard and uncomfortable.

There is no single treatment that is guaranteed to get rid of verrucae, however some treatments are more suitable than others. The virus and skin process are complex, size of verrucae vary and some people have their verruca for several years. All of these things, and others, affect which treatment may be more suitable for each individual.

See below for suitable appointment types to help you treat Verrucae.

What appointments are suitable for treating Verrucae?

  • This is the first appointment for all patients with podiatry (chiropody) concerns.

    Your skin will be examined and your diagnosis confirmed, before various treatment options are discussed. Sometimes people attend their appointment thinking they have a Verruca, but the area of concern may be e.g. a corn. Treatment options for different problems vary and it is important to have the right diagnosis before spending time and money trying to resolve a problem.

    We will also inform you of treatment options that we do not provide, to help you make a fully informed decision about how you would like to proceed.

    There is no need to make a treatment decision during your first appointment, some people prefer to decide on a treatment plan after they have had time to read our patient information leaflets and asked any pertinent questions.

    Clinical advice changes as more research is done and our medical knowledge improves, and people are often surprised to be told that warts / verrucae don’t always need to be treated. Most will self resolve in time, however, this can take many years for some people. If your verruca is painful, catching on hosiery, interfering with daily life or just causing you distress because of its appearance then you may choose to have it treated.

    A number of treatments may require you to book a separate appointment, however, you may be able to start some treatment types during this appointment if there is enough time left after the consultation.

  • Suitable for existing patients who want the overlying hard skin removed for comfort but do not wish to start other treatments. Also suitable for those who wish to review their current treatment plan and discuss any questions or other treatment options.

  • Verrutop is a chemical that is applied directly to the wart and works by a process of dehydration, desiccation and mummification of the cells containing the wart virus.

    A treatment plan involves 6 treatments at two week intervals. Patients are required to apply surgical spirit daily, to help dry the Verrucae.

    This appointment is suitable for current patients who have discussed Verrucae treatment options with the podiatrist.

  • Also known as Falknor's Needling, Verruca needling is a procedure designed to create a controlled inflammatory response which stimulates the body’s immune system to fight the verrucae. One treatment is sufficient for about 80% of cases but some people may require a second treatment.

    It offers advantages over the traditional acid therapies in that it does not require a regular course of treatments over several weeks. The treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic. After the procedure a dressing is applied, which needs to be kept dry and in place for 48 hours. There is normally no other aftercare required.

    This appointment is suitable for current patients who have discussed verrucae treatment options with our podiatrist and who have come to the shared decision to undertake Falknor’s Needling of the verruca.

  • Verruca surgery is a procedure to remove the entirety of a plantar wart. Surgery is typically indicated when the wart is present on a painful or high-pressure area of the foot. Carried out under local anaesthetic, this is normally a one off procedure appointment of about 60 minutes. After the minor surgery, patients will have a bandaged foot and be required to limit the amount of time on their feet, to allow the foot to heal.

    Although all podiatrists are trained in dermatology and nail surgery, this type of surgery can only be performed by podiatrists with extended scope training.

    This appointment is suitable for current patients who have discussed verrucae treatment options with our podiatrist and who have come to the shared decision to undertake surgical removal of the verruca.