Causes of Verrucae
Verrucae, also known as plantar warts, are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), a highly contagious virus that’s passed on by direct human contact. The virus thrives in moist, damp environments, such as changing room floors, swimming pools and communal showers. You can catch the virus simply by walking on the same floor as an infected person, which is why it’s so common amongst children although anybody can have a verruca.
For further information on Verrucae, see our Verruca Fact Sheet.
Seeking Professional Help for Verruca Removal
While verrucae may disappear on their own, they can quickly become troublesome, spreading to other areas of your feet, growing larger, and often becoming painful.
Verrucae will clear up much more quickly if you seek professional help from a podiatrist. We recommend visiting us if your verruca is painful, has spread and multiplied, altered in appearance, or if it’s restricting you in your daily activities.
Professional Verruca Treatment
At Feet By Pody, we use three main types of verruca treatment.
Cryotherapy is a very safe process where we destroy the skin around the verruca by freezing it using a very cold gas. The idea is to provide a short, sharp shock to your skin cells, which destroys the verruca tissue. This is a very straightforward procedure causing minimum disruption to our patients, although it can take several treatments before the verruca is finally eradicated.
To find out more about cryotherapy, see our Cryotherapy page.
Strong Acid-based Treatments
Acid-based treatments, which are much stronger than the over-the-counter remedies you can buy, are used to destroy the infected skin. Again, this treatment usually requires several sessions before the verruca is fully destroyed. The procedure is largely painless, although some people may feel a little discomfort in the treated verruca once the acid starts to work.
Verruca needling is a minor surgical procedure that’s carried out under local anaesthetic. It involves puncturing the verruca multiple times using a fine, sterile needle. This brings the virus into direct contact with the fatty tissue beneath the skin, which is rich in immune regulators thus allowing the body’s immune system to recognise and destroy the virus. The advantage of Verruca needling is that it usually only requires a single treatment, although we see you for post-treatment check-ups.
For further information on verruca needling, see our Verruca Needling page.
Swift is a new technology, developed in the UK, which has been licenced for the general treatment of skin lesions in Podiatry and Dermatology. Swift uses microwave energy which is delivered through a special probe applied to the
skin to treat the affected tissue.
For further information on Swift Microwave, see our Swift Microwave page.
Why Choose Feet By Pody?
At Feet By Pody, our foot specialists have many years’ experience in verruca treatment and removal, working with patients of all ages including young children. We discuss the different treatment options with you, and together decide on the best course of action.
We operate from six modern, well-equipped clinics in London, where we use the latest stringent sterilisation procedures to ensure you receive the most hygienic foot care possible.
You can visit Feet By Pody at any of our clinics:
If you have a painful or stubborn verruca and would like professional advice and treatment, book an appointment with Feet By Pody today. Book Online or call 020 7099 6657 to speak with one of our friendly, knowledgeable healthcare professionals.