Warts and verrucas are not uncommon, but they can be unsightly. They can also make a person feel very self-conscious. Verrucas are warts on the feet and are usually harmless. Many times they clear up on their own without treatment. But while it may be easier to cover up verrucas to avoid embarrassment, it’s hard to ignore them completely because often they are very painful. This causes many people to look at options for verruca removal.

Verrucas are caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that affect the skin. There are some things can be done at home for verrucas, but they can often be cleared much more quickly with treatment by a chiropodist.

1. Application of Chemicals

It’s recommended that you visit a chiropodist before beginning a treatment regime for your verruca removal. That being said many people will try various lotions, paints or creams containing salicylic acid that they purchase over-the-counter from their pharmacy or that are prescribed by a doctor. Salicylic acid burns off the top layer of the verruca. Treatment requires a lot on your part because you have to remember to apply the solution every day, as well as spend time every few days rubbing off the dead tissue from the top of the verruca. If you use the treatment diligently the verruca could clear within three months. It’s important to familiarise yourself with proper safety precautions when dealing with salicylic acid.

2. Cryotherapy

The application of chemicals mentioned above essentially burns the verruca off, while cryotherapy is the process of freezing the verruca. This type of freezing treatment is very popular for verruca removal and is used by many chiropodists. The process works by spraying liquid nitrogen onto the verruca. The liquid nitrogen destroys the verruca tissue as it begins to thaw. It may take up to six treatments each a couple of weeks apart to clear up the verruca completely, but it often sees quicker results than other types of treatment. Negative results from cryotherapy are that it can be painful, sometimes causes a small blister to develop near where the treatment took place, and there is a small risk of scarring.

3. Surgery

Surgical removal of verrucas is usually only recommended in circumstances that limit you from doing your daily activities or when the verruca is causing you extreme pain. Surgery for verruca removal is unreliable because it can’t get rid of the HPV virus that is causing the verruca; it can only remove the verruca giving the chance that it could return. If surgery is used a chiropodist will remove the verruca by scraping it with an instrument called a curette while you’re under local anesthesia. The result is often a raw and painful area that may leave a scar.

More often than not verrucas will eventually clear up without treatment. However, if you have a verruca that is causing you pain or embarrassment and you just want it to disappear contact a chiropodist at Beauchamp Foot Care to learn more about verruca removal.