Verrucas(sensible answers only!)?!
Question: i have verrucas on my feet...how do i get them off. If i leave them will they go. Thanks =D
Answers: i have verrucas on my feet...how do i get them off. If i leave them will they go. Thanks =D
verruca (plantar wart) is a wart on the sole of the foot. It is the same as a common wart, but the weight of the body presses it into the foot, which can be painful
Like other warts, verrucas are caused by strains of papillomavirus. There is lots of papillomavirus around, and many people carry it on the surface of their skin. It does not cause any harm unless it penetrates into the skin, where it can take hold and cause a wart. This is most likely to happen if the surface of your skin is already damaged, with tiny cracks.
Most people believe that verrucas are caught in the changing rooms of swimming pools and the pool surrounds, but only one scientific study has shown that people who use swimming pools regularly are more likely to get verrucas. Other studies have shown no link.
There is probably plenty of papillomavirus around swimming pools, particularly in the shower area. However, you are very unlikely to get a verruca if your skin is undamaged. If you want to minimize the risk, wear flip-flops in the shower area.
What you might do
Decide whether it really is a verruca. They are easily confused with corns and calluses, which are thickened areas of skin caused by friction. Corns are often seen over hammer toes and where shoes press on the little toe, but they can occur on the sole of the foot just below the toes. Look closely at the verruca, using a mirror and a magnifying glass if possible. Corns and calluses have normal skin lines (like the lines used in fingerprints) over them, but the surface of a verruca is slightly lumpy without lines. If you are not sure, see a chiropodist or ask your doctor
Do nothing. Just covering the verucca with a plaster and doing nothing might be the best option, for the following reasons.
Without treatment, verrucas almost always disappear within 2 years. Some go within a month or two. Treatments are inconvenient and can be uncomfortable
Decide who should treat it. Decide whether you should treat the verruca yourself, or whether you should see a chiropodist. Do not try to treat it yourself if you have diabetes, or if you already have a skin problem such as eczema
Keep your feet as dry as possible. Papillomavirus can spread through wet, soggy skin to form a patch of mosaic warts
Relieve the discomfort. Stick a ring-shaped foam pad round the verruca to take the pressure off it. You can buy these from pharmacists and they are sometimes labelled