Verrucas

Verruca is Latin for wart and especially refers to a type of wart of the foot. Verrucas (or verrucae) tend to cause painful areas on the foot. They can be on the plantar surface (sole of foot), around the heel and toes. Most veruccas usually clear up on their own, causing mild discomfort on weight bearing. However some develop into large painful warts, usually on the weight bearing areas. The skin covering these areas where is very much thicker than areas that are non-weight bearing. For example - the skin on soles of feet can be up to 60 times thicker than other parts of the body. The number of skin cells is also larger due to the thickness. When a verruca invades these thicker areas of skin on the feet it can form a hard mass of tissue that penetrates the dermis up to 3 layers of skin.

Generally, verrucas can be treated at home with gels and creams that are available over the counter, if they are small enough and you are lucky enough to catch them early. However when patients feel the uncomfortable pain associated with verrucas and/or it has become too large, then it can be difficult to successfully treat at home.

The danger of self treatment is that patients may consider the lesion to be a verucca, but it is sometimes not the case. In these situations, more damage can be done to skin, as the preparations used contain caustic or salicylic acid which burns good skin and can damage it, possibly causing burns, ulceration and scarring. On the other hand if not treated verrucas can spread to form clusters, which can also fuse together forming a 'mosaic wart'.

Verruca's are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus. Most people pick the virus up from swimming baths, sports centres, gyms etc., usually when feet become wet or sweaty. Lots of people use these facilities and never contact any such infection, while others do. Not everyone checks their feet regularly for any change in skin or strange lesions appearing. Therefore, someone with a verucca or wart who is not aware of it, could spread the infection when walking barefoot.

Most adults who may be susceptible can usually fight the virus on their own. Children however can pick this infection up so easily and may not have the antibodies to fight the germ.

To decide whether you have or have not got a verruca can be difficult. Consider the following:-

• What does it look like?

• Verruca's sometimes are lumps of hard tissue. It can be covered with a hard callous on top.

• It can be mistaken for a corn.

• What colour is it?

• The colour can be skin tone, paler in the centre with a ring around the outside. Some have the tell-tale black dots in the centre.

• What size is it?

• It can be a tiny lump or a large lump. It can also present in a patch with many verucca's linked together.

• Is it painful?

• Mostly verrucas which are noticeable are on weight bearing area's. You may have a verucca for years and not feel anything as its not pressing on shoes or rubbing on the base of feet on weight bearing areas.

Prevention

• Avoid walking barefoot in public areas such as showers, communal changing rooms.(covering up with a plaster is not a safe method as it will not last for long at all. Especially while showering or swimming)
• Change shoes and socks daily.
• Avoid sharing shoes and socks.
• Avoid direct contact with warts on other parts of body.
• Avoid direct contact with warts on other persons.

Verrucas can vary widely in appearance, but here is a typical example.

If you think something is there and not sure what it is, get it checked out. The chiropodist will discuss the best treatment for each patient depending on the status of the patient and the verruca itself. If it is a verucca, delaying treatment could result in it growing larger or other veruccas appearing. It can also be transferred to other members of the family.