Verrucae are warts on the soles of your feet, caused by the highly contagious HPV virus. These warts are generally located between the toes and the sole of the foot (ball of the foot), and may or may not be painful when walking. If you look closely, you will see a small black dot in the center of the verruca which is caused by bleeding from the pressure of walking and standing. Verruca is a bit tricky to get rid of, but there are a few different ways you can try. Check out Step 1 below to find out.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Removing Verruca at Home
Step 1. Use salicylic acid
Salicylic acid helps burn verrucae. Salicylic acid is available over-the-counter in the form of creams, ointments, and gels, or special medicated patches. Salicylic acid is usually the main ingredient of over-the-counter medications.
- Before you apply salicylic acid, use sandpaper or a pumice stone to remove the dead skin on the outside of the verruca. Do not share this pumice stone or sandpaper with others, as verrucae are contagious.
- Soak the verruca in warm water for about five minutes. This will soften the skin and will help the salicylic acid work better.
- Dry the skin and apply salicylic acid directly to the verruca. Because the salicylic acid burns the skin, both healthy skin and dead skin, you need to protect the skin around the verruca by applying Vaseline.
- Repeat this process once a day - gradually the verruca will completely disappear as it burns or comes off. This process usually takes about three months.
Step 2. Try using duct tape
Some people report successfully removing verrucae with duct tape. A piece of duct tape is firmly attached over the verruca and left for six days.
- If the duct tape comes off during this process, apply a new piece of duct tape immediately. After six days, the duct tape should be removed, and the verruca should be soaked in warm water for five minutes.
- Use a clean towel to dry your feet, then use a pumice stone or sandpaper to remove any dead skin on the surface of the verruca. Leave the verruca open overnight, then reapply a new piece of duct tape the next day.
- Repeat this process every six days. If this method seems to work, the verruca will completely disappear within 28 days.
Step 3. Give the verruca time to heal
Generally, they will go away on their own within a year or two, so if they are not causing you pain, you should consider letting them go away on their own.
However, verrucae rarely go away on their own in people with weakened immunity (eg in people with HIV), so it is advisable to seek treatment
Method 2 of 3: Removing Verruca at the Doctor
Step 1. Freeze the verruca
Verruca can be removed at the doctor's office using liquid nitrogen, in a procedure known as cryotherapy (cryotherapy).
- Liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the verruca, thereby destroying the skin cells by freezing. Swelling will occur after the procedure, will then become a scab, and disappear within a few days, along with the verruca.
- For very large verrucae, the procedure may need to be repeated several times before the verruca completely disappears.
- Cryotherapy can be quite painful, so it is not recommended for young children.
Step 2. Get a prescription for a chemical treatment
In some treatments, your doctor will prescribe a chemical drug in the form of a corrosive chemical to be applied directly to the verruca to kill skin cells.
- Such chemicals include formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and podophyllin. These medications need to be applied once a day, for up to three months.
- Verruca should also be exfoliated with sandpaper or pumice stone between chemical treatments.
Step 3. Allow the verruca to be cut
In some cases, the verruca can be cut or exfoliated by a podiatrist/chiropodist.
This will not completely remove the verruca, but will reduce its size and hopefully reduce the pain
Method 3 of 3: Preventing the Spread of Verruca
Step 1. Cover your verruca when in the pool
Verrucae are commonly passed on to other people in swimming pools, so it's important to cover your verruca with a waterproof plaster when you swim. Alternatively, you can buy swim socks at a pharmacy.
Step 2. Don't share towels, socks, or shoes
Verruca can be spread by sharing towels, socks, and shoes. If you have verrucae, please go ahead and share these items with others.
Step 3. Use slippers in public bathrooms
Just like in swimming pools, verrucae can easily be passed on to other people in public bathrooms. Therefore, you should wear slippers when using a public bathroom.
Tips
- Apply nail polish to the verruca. There are several chemicals that help get rid of verrucae. The chemical is, surprisingly, the same as banana pulp.
- Tea tree oil will help get rid of the verruca. Rub the affected area with sandpaper and then apply tea tree oil using a cotton swab. Repeat every night before going to bed and within a few weeks the sores should be gone.
- Head to the drugstore for new gels or products for verrucae.
- When you go swimming, wear sandals and verruca socks in the pool.
- You can freeze verrucae and there is a chance they may be gone forever.
