Verruca Treatments
TREATMENTS
Verrucas are a common viral infection caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). They are contagious and tend to thrive in warm, damp environments such as swimming pools, communal showers, and bathrooms. It’s not uncommon to pick them up from these places—especially if you’re barefoot.
Most people start with over-the-counter gels or ointments from the pharmacy. While these can help, they must be used carefully, as they can irritate or burn the surrounding healthy skin.
Verrucas are very good at hiding from your immune system, which makes them difficult to treat. A strong immune response is often key to successful clearance, but your body needs to be alerted to the presence of the virus.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and no verruca treatment can be guaranteed. Results vary depending on how long you’ve had the verruca, its size and location, your immune system, and the specific HPV strain involved.
Depending on the type and persistence of your verruca, a podiatrist may recommend one or more of the following:
Cryotherapy or acid-based treatments – often used in a course of 6 or more sessions, especially for verrucas present for over 2 years.
Swift Microwave Therapy – uses microwave energy to stimulate an immune response; usually delivered in minimum 3 sessions.
Laser Therapy – targets the blood vessels feeding the verruca, destroying the infected tissue and encouraging immune clearance. A course of treatment is recommended.
Faulkner’s Needling – a minor surgical procedure where the verruca is punctured under local anaesthetic to push viral tissue deeper into the skin, helping stimulate the immune system from within.
Our podiatrists will assess the nature, size, and depth of your verrucas before recommending a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
SWIFT – NEW BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT FOR VERRUCAS
Swift is a new technology, developed in the UK, which has been licensed for the general treatment of skin lesions in Podiatry and Dermatology. It uses microwave energy which is delivered through a special probe applied to the skin to treat the affected tissue. It also treats warts on the hands and is suitable for adults and children. The main benefit is, unlike many of the alternative treatments, that there is no need for any anaesthetic or dressings and you can continue your normal activities straight away.
The microwave energy is delivered directly to the verruca at a predetermined depth. This means that, unlike other treatments, there is no damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. It heats the skin by around 4 degrees, targeting the water molecules and destroying the infected viral cells.
DOES IT HURT?
It is not uncommon for patients to feel a sharp sensation, like stepping on a lego! Unlike most treatments for verruca, pain felt during the treatment quickly subsides. In some cases, the treated area may feel a little tender but will not prevent you undertaking normal daily activities. Most people experience no pain after the treatment at all.
HOW SUCCESSFUL IS VERRUCA TREATMENT?
Unlike other treatments available (acids, cryotherapy, needling), swift® targets the cells which cause the verruca. This creates an immune response. Because of this, it has the highest success rate of all the treatments available.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?
This is dependent on how you respond to treatment. In some cases, you may need more than three sessions (these are usually 4 weeks apart depending on the response). Your podiatrist will be able to discuss this with you.
Please Note: Other Treatments for verrucae / verruca are available include cryosurgery (freezing) or the use of strong acids (salicylic, monochloracetic, verrutop) or Faulknor’s Needling.
It is worth noting that NO single treatment for verruci and warts is 100% effective, and there is no guarantee that the verruci or warts will not return.
CRYOSURGERY
Our clinic is equipped with the latest Cryosurgery system. We use liquid nitrogen to freeze the infected area of tissue down to such a low level that the verrucae virus is killed. The tissues actually form ice crystals for a short time after treatment. A light, dry blister usually forms over the following 2-3 days. We review the area every 2 weeks and further treatment is delivered as necessary.
ACID TREATMENTS CONTAINING SALICYLIC ACID AND VERRUTOP
We also offer the option of using 60% Salicylic Acid with or without Monochloracetic Acid crystals on the affected area. The area is masked to avoid damage to the surrounding skin prior to the application. You will need to keep your foot dry for 2-3 days to give a chance to the acid to break down the verruca tissue. You will need to return to the clinic after 2-3 weeks for a review and further treatment.
Verrutop contains Nitri-zinc Complex, which kills the verruca and wart tissue by breaking its protein structure. This leaves the underlying skin intact. When Verrutop is applied to the wart, a chemical reaction takes place, which causes dehydration of the tissues and cellular destruction. The wart changes colour (white/grey/yellowish). Over time, this leads to spontaneous detachment of the wart. Verrutop is suitable for adults and children over 6years old.
ELECTROSURGERY AND FAULKNER’S NEEDLING
Hyphrecator 2000 from Conmed is the very latest development in electrosurgery. It has the ability to dry out the verruca cells and fulgurate the area (causing a burn to the tissue to destroy the verruca). The size and location of the verruca will dictate what method the podiatrist will use to anaesthetise the foot. Typically the lesion will resolve within a few days of the treatment with very little after care required.
Faulknor Needling also requires the area to be numb prior to the procedure. The verruca is pierced multiple times so that tiny verruca cells can be transferred into the deeper tissues (the dermis). In the dermis, the verruca virus can be detected more efficiently by the immune system and eradicated. This procedure has higher success rates than any other method used to treat verrucas. Patients experience very little post op pain and the area heals up fully after a few days. In some cases, a second procedure may be required.
LASER TREATMENTS
Laser therapy is a highly effective option for managing verrucas and warts, especially those that are resistant to traditional treatments. It works by using focused light energy to destroy the infected tissue and stimulate the body’s immune response.
How it works: The energy from the laser penetrates the skin and enters the capillary bed that supplies blood to the verruca. This causes coagulation of the blood vessels, leading to destruction of the virus. The thermal effect not only kills the infected tissue but also alerts the immune system, helping the body recognise and fight the HPV virus.
Benefits of Laser Therapy
Very effective for persistent or long-standing verrucas
Minimally invasive with reduced risk of damaging healthy surrounding skin
Encourages a natural immune response
Often used when other treatments have failed
A course of treatments is usually required, often spaced several weeks apart. The number of sessions varies depending on the patient, the size and depth of the verruca, and how long it has been present. Some mild discomfort during treatment is normal, often described as a stinging or snapping sensation, but this only lasts less than a second. Post-treatment effects may include mild redness and inflammation, which are usually temporary and fully subside very quickly.
Laser therapy offers a safe and targeted approach to verruca management for teenagers and adults, and your podiatrist will guide you on whether this treatment is appropriate for your condition.
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