Bucks Podiatry is committed to offering comprehensive care for individuals dealing with verrucae. Our specialised services, such as foot health checks, acid treatment, verruca needling, and verruca surgery, allow us to customise our approach to best meet your specific needs.

With these treatments, you can experience comfort and a significant improvement in your foot health.

A verruca, commonly known as a plantar wart, is a type of wart that appears on the foot and can be highly contagious. While generally harmless, they can cause discomfort, particularly in weight-bearing areas. It's important to remember that they are common, with most people experiencing them at some point.

A verruca usually resembles a rough, circular patch of skin on the bottom of your foot. It can also pop up between your toes or on the side of your foot. These warts may have small black dots, which could be dried blood within the capillaries. The surface of the verruca often looks like a cauliflower and can be yellow, brown, grey, or even red in colour.

Regular foot examinations are crucial for the early detection of verrucae (more than one verruca), as they are highly contagious. This wart spreads through direct contact, especially if the individual is not immune to the infection. Walking barefoot in areas where the infection is present can lead to the spread of the virus. However, with regular examinations and awareness, you can take control and prevent the spread of the virus.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of verrucae. This highly contagious virus thrives in damp and moist environments, making public showers and swimming pools common areas of transmission, especially among non-immune individuals.

The process of a verruca forming starts in the outer layers of the skin. The body doesn't initially fight the infection because the outer layer doesn't have a strong immune response. As the virus goes deeper into the skin, it deactivates the cells that would normally trigger the body's immune response, allowing the infection to take hold without being detected. Once the virus infects the skin, it can go unnoticed for up to eight months, allowing it to become well-established.

Anyone can develop a verruca, but they are most common in children. If not treated, verrucae can quickly spread and form clusters of mosaic warts, which can be challenging and embarrassing to get rid of. Fortunately, most cases in children resolve on their own within two years without treatment.

If you suspect that verrucae are spreading or causing discomfort, it's crucial to understand your treatment options. Seeking professional advice before starting any treatment is essential, particularly if you wish to have the verrucae removed due to discomfort or if they are starting to spread.

If you suspect that verrucae are spreading or causing discomfort, it's crucial to understand your treatment options. Seeking professional advice before starting any treatment is essential, particularly if you wish to have the verrucae removed due to discomfort or if they are starting to spread.For individuals with specific medical conditions such as diabetes, pregnancy, circulatory issues, compromised immunity, or long-term medication use, consulting a podiatrist for verruca removal is vital to ensure the best results.

If you suspect that verrucae are spreading or causing discomfort, it's crucial to understand your treatment options. Seeking professional advice before starting any treatment is essential, particularly if you wish to have the verrucae removed due to discomfort or if they are starting to spread.Our acid-based treatments for verrucae are significantly more potent than over-the-counter remedies. Due to the corrosive nature of acids, a podiatrist must administer the solution. The acid destroys the infected cells, which can then be removed in multiple sessions.

The treatment is usually not very painful and allows some activities like swimming to continue. However, keeping the foot dry for 1-3 days after the treatment is crucial.

Verruca needling, an effective minor surgical procedure, is a common choice when other treatments have failed.  Under local anaesthesia, a sterilised needle punctures the verruca multiple times, pushing the virus into the dermis to trigger an immune response.

Usually, only one treatment is needed, but follow-up appointments are crucial for monitoring progress. The area is thoroughly numbed before the procedure, ensuring that needling is generally painless and effective. However, some soreness may be experienced for several days after the treatment, requiring a 24-hour rest period.

Steroid injections can effectively ease foot and ankle pain by reducing inflammation, improving mobility and comfort for individuals with chronic foot pain.If other treatments have not worked on stubborn verrucae, verruca surgery might be an option. This minor but highly effective procedure involves removing the wart and some surrounding skin under local anaesthesia. Depending on the size and location of the verruca, stitches may be necessary to close the skin after the procedure.

Although the foot is numbed during the procedure, it is expected to experience some discomfort for several days afterwards, so it's essential to plan for a period of rest.

Untreated verrucae can persist and spread to other areas of the foot or to other individuals. They may cause pain or discomfort, especially in weight-bearing areas.

Left untreated, verrucae can increase in size becoming more resilient, making them harder to treat. This can lead to complications such as infection or mosaic warts.

Therefore, seeking appropriate treatment for verrucae is crucial to prevent these potential complications and to manage the condition effectively.

Verrucas can sometimes disappear on their own, but depending on the person, this can take anywhere from a few months to several years.

How quickly they disappear depends on factors such as

• your immune system
• the size and location of the verruca
• the specific strain of the HPV causing it

There are effective treatment options available to remove a verruca, including

• over-the-counter topical treatments containing salicylic acid
• over-the-counter cryotherapy
• procedures performed by podiatrists such as verruca needling or surgical excision for stubborn cases

To prevent verrucas from coming back, it's important to take these proactive steps:

• keep your feet clean and dry
• regularly change your socks and shoes
• avoid walking barefoot in public areas to minimize the risk of exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes verrucas.
• Resist the urge to pick or scratch existing verrucas to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of your foot.
• Strengthening your immune system through a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient rest may also help reduce the likelihood of verrucas recurring.

Additionally, be sure to inspect your feet regularly to catch any new verrucas early, allowing for prompt intervention to prevent their spread and recurrence.

The duration of a verruca, also known as a wart, can vary from person to person. In some cases, verrucae can last for a few months to a few years without treatment.

However, with proper treatment like over-the-counter medications, verruca needling, or surgery, verrucae can be removed within weeks or months.

It's important to remember that verrucae are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and their duration can be affected by factors such as the person's immune system, the location of the verruca, and the chosen treatment method.

Get personalised advice from a podiatrist on effectively managing and removing your verruca.

When you book an appointment with our highly skilled podiatrists, you can rest assured that you will receive a thorough assessment, precise diagnosis, and customised treatment for your verruca. Whether you need non-invasive treatments or advanced procedures such as verruca removal surgery, our team is fully committed to guiding you towards effective and tailored solutions.

Take the first step towards reclaiming your foot health by booking today. Let us support you in managing and treating your verrucae so you can confidently concentrate on enjoying your everyday activities.