Five Best Treatments for Verrucas and How to Prevent Them

Verruca’s, or plantar warts, develop of the soles of the feet and begin because of pressure from standing and walking. They are harmless and often go away on their own. However, they can become too painful to ignore.

Treatments

Since our bodies are different, one method of treatment might work for you, while another will not. You may wish to try more than one method to see which works best for you.

Method #1 – *Salicylic Acid and Duct Tape

1. After washing your foot thoroughly, soak it for about 20 minutes.
2. Remove any dead skin gently with a pumice stone or emery board.
3. To make sure the duct tape sticks to your skin, swab the area around the wart with alcohol.
4. Apply salicylic acid to the wart and cover completely with a piece of duct tape. You can also use the adhesive part of a waterproof bandage.
5. Leave on for six days and when you remove the tape, repeat the soaking and removal of dead skin.
6. Leave the wart area uncovered overnight and repeat if necessary.

*Salicylic acid is an active ingredient in most over-the-counter wart remedies.

Method #2 – Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Wash your foot and then soak it in water for twenty minutes.
2. Use an emery board or pumice stone to remove dead skin gently.
3. Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly around the wart.
4. Secure an apple cider vinegar-soaked cotton pad or ball with an adhesive bandage.
5. Check the wart and replace the bandage daily until the wart is gone.

Method #3 – Onions

1. Place ½ inch sliced strips of onion in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover the bowl and let sit for at least one hour.
2. Wash your foot and then soak it in Palmolive dish liquid for 20 minutes.
3. After rinsing your foot and patting it dry, break an onion slice and rub it all over the wart.
4. Take another piece of broken onion and place it on the wart, covering it with the adhesive part of a bandage.
5. Leave on for three days, and then check the wart to see if it has shrunk.
6. If needed, repeat these steps until the wart is gone. It should disappear within a week.

Method #4 – Laser Treatments

Although this method can be painful and lead to scarring, it has a good potential for destroying the wart. Precisely targeted lasers cauterize the capillaries that carry blood to the wart. Thus, it is starved and dies. This method takes less time than those mentioned previously.

Method #5 – Minor Surgery

The doctor uses an anaesthetic for pain and then cuts out the verruca. Scarring can be an issue. However, this is another relatively quick method for removing a verruca.

Prevention

Verruca’s are viral in nature; the virus invades the skin through cuts or scrapes. They are contagious and often spread on floor surfaces of swimming pools and showers, especially public facilities. The best method of prevention is to avoid direct contact with infected surfaces. You should also:

• Avoid sharing shoes and socks.
• Wear flip-flops at public swimming pools or showers.
• Do not share towels.

The key for dealing with verruca’s is to be aware of the potential for contracting the virus that causes them, taking steps to prevent them, and, if you do get one, trying these methods for treatment.