If you get a verruca/ wart, here are some handy hints and tips to help treat it:
How can you keep your feet verruca and wart free this summer?
- Wash the area thoroughly and then dry completely
- Apply topical treatment to area; look out for products that include Salicylic acid
(Salicylic acid is the active ingredient of most medicated plasters, paints, gels and creams which are available over the counter and effective in clearing verrucas.)
Once you have applied the topical treatment to the infected area, the skin should be covered using a corn plaster or petroleum jelly to prevent any damage to the skin.
- Another treatment is Cryotherapy which involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the verruca to freeze and consequently destroy the cells.
This is followed by the development of a sore blister and scab which eventually falls off. It can be painful and takes between 5 to 15 minutes. This treatment is usually conducted by a medical practitioner at a clinic – bear in mind the exact cryotherapy procedure varies from one healthcare professional to another. The liquid nitrogen can either be sprayed directly or may be applied with the help of a stick that has cotton wool on its tip.
However, most GP’s no longer offer these services due to cuts in funding and usually signposts patients to over the counter products, in the first instance.
Look out for 2 in 1 products that contain Cryotherapy treatment and the Salicylic Acid, such as Excilor’s 2 in 1 Wart and Verruca treatment, so you can freeze and then treat the verruca/wart in the comfort of your own home.
Also follow these hygiene tips to ensure the verruca/wart does not come back/ gets passed onto other family members:
- Change your socks daily if you have a verruca
- Cover the wart with a plaster if you have one on your hand as it can be contagious
- Cover warts and verrucas with a plaster when swimming
- Take care not to cut a wart when shaving
- Use moisturising lotions to prevent dry skin
- Do not share towels, flannels, socks or shoes if you have a wart or verruca
- Do not bite your nails or suck your fingers with warts on (crucial for children!)
- Do not walk barefoot in public places if you have a verruca
- Do not scratch or pick a wart