Warts & Verrucae
What are the symptoms of this condition?
Warts appear as small raised areas of skin with a rough surface. They can appear on any part of the skin, but they are most common on the hands and feet. Their size can vary from 1mm in length to over 1cm, and their shape can also vary; some are round, cauliflower-shaped, or long and thin.When one appears on the sole of a foot, it is called a “plantar wart”, or “verruca”. They are just the same as warts on other parts of the skin, but often have a flatter appearance, as the weight of the body pushes down on them over time.
Warts have a network of small blood vessels, which are often visible as small black dots when the outer layer of skin is removed from the wart. This is commonly but incorrectly assumed to be the ‘root’ of the wart or verruca. This is one way in which a verruca can be distinguished from a callous on the foot – a callous will not have this capillary network underneath it.
What is the cause of the condition?
Warts are caused by a virus, called the human papilloma virus (often shortened to “HPV”), which causes a reaction on the skin. They are very common in the general population, but are more likely to affect people with a poor immune system.What can I do to treat myself?
There are some kinds of warts that should never be self-treated. If you have warts on the anal or genital areas, you should see your doctor, as these are caused by a different form of the human papilloma virus, and can only be treated in a different way using medicines from your doctor. Non-prescription treatments for warts are not suitable for these kinds of warts.Similarly, if you have a wart on a sensitive part of the body (for example, the face), you should not use a non-prescription wart treatment; if you feel that the wart needs to be removed, talk to your doctor instead. Diabetics should not use products to treat warts or verrucae without talking to their doctor or chiropodist first.
If you have a wart which has recently changed in appearance, size, colour, or shape, or has started to itch or bleed, you should talk to your doctor at your earliest opportunity. These symptoms could indicate a different problem with the skin, which may require urgent treatment.
Most warts and verrucae do not actually need to be treated – they will disappear by themselves, usually within 6 months to 2 years. However, they can be unsightly, or in the case of verrucae, painful when walking, and some people wish to speed up their removal accordingly. There are several products available from pharmacies that can help, based on one of two methods – corroding preparations, and freezing preparations.
Corrosive preparations
The most common ingredient in this category is salicylic acid, which removes the top layer of skin cells. The usual method used is to soak the affected area in water for a few minutes, then apply the preparation to the affected wart or verruca once daily, taking care to avoid the surrounding skin – you can do this by surrounding the wart with petroleum jelly first. Once applied, cover the area with a plaster, and every few days use a file or pumice stone to remove the top layer of dead skin from the wart. Eventually, the whole wart or verruca will be removed. It can take few weeks for any improvements to be visible, and up to 3 months for the treatment to be completely successful, but the success rate is very high. Salicylic acid preparations are also suitable for the treatment of corns and callouses.
Products based on salicylic acid include Salatac Gel, Salactol Paint, and Bazuka Gel. Click here to see the range of products available from Pharmacy2U.
Freezing preparations
Another effective way of removing warts and verrucae is by freezing them. This technique has been used by doctors for a long time using liquid nitrogen, and now there are products available from pharmacies that work on the same principle (Wartner Aerosol Spray, and Scholl Freeze Verruca & Wart Remover).
Freezing preparations are generally quicker than using a corrosive preparation – in some cases, following a single application, the wart will clear away within a few weeks. However other warts may require more than one application, and the application of the spray can be painful. This method is not suitable for those with a poor circulation, for young children, or for warts on sensitive parts of the body – it’s best reserved for warts and verrucae on the hands and feet.
Click here to see the range of products available from Pharmacy2U.
What treatments are available from my doctor or chiropodist?
Your doctor or chiropodist can prescribe the same treatments as described above. In addition, they can use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart, or if all other treatments have failed and it’s considered necessary, you may be referred to a specialist or advised to consider laser treatment.Anal and genital warts are treated by your doctor either by a freezing or abrasive technique, or by the use of a prescription-only preparation, usually containing either podophyllum (or podophyllotoxin), or imiquimod. Your doctor may also suggest a test for sexually transmitted diseases at the same time.
If you’re not sure if your symptoms are indicative of a wart or verruca, or of another skin condition, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Any other information I should have?
It’s advisable to cover up warts and verrucas when swimming, either by using a waterproof plaster, or a special plastic ‘verruca sock’ for children, which are available from most pharmacies. You could also wear flip-flops in communal showers to prevent the spread of the virus, which is thought to be easily transmitted in water.Email Newsletter
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