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Video

Consultation: Verrucas

Verrucas can be extremely painful and amazingly difficult to get rid of, although many can clear up on their own. It’s probably not surprising to hear that there are 8 million of us suffering from them at any one time! So it’s up to Dr Pixie McKenna to sort out these two patient’s verrucas when they visit her for a consultation.

If your child is suffering from verrucas or warts, check our condition guide for parents on Embarrassing Bodies: Kids website.

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My 14 year old son has had extensive verrucas (approx 30-40)over both his feet and toes for almost 2 years, and they were spreading fast onto his shin and under his knee. I'd done all the usual stuff - gels,paint-on acid, freezing kits, duct tape etc. The doctor told us it was the worst case he'd ever seen and 'extreme', but (frustratingly) couldn't offer any treatment saying his body would eventually fight the virus off. Finally I went to a podiatrist who talked us througha plan involving (1) boosting his immune system to fight the virus by eating healthily and going to bed early plus echinacha twice a day and (2) treatment using 60% salycic acid paste on the bottom of one foot and we were to follow up with strong bazuka gel every night. On the other foot where many were on the top of the toes she recommended over the counter freezing kits once a week and removing dead skin in between. We followed her instructions very carefully and within a week there was an improvement. It feels like this regime might actually work (fingers crossed). I paid £45 for the podiatrist consultation and treatment and about £40 for large amounts of Bazuka gel, files and corn blades to remove dead skin and the freezing kits (we're going through 1 a week!). I would strongly recommend seeing a specialist if you can, and making a plan with a 2-3 month timeframe and following it strictly. I spend about 30 mins each evenings doing the treatments so it's expensive and time consuming but my son's case is rather extreme.





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my 9 year old son has recently had surgery to remove a verruca from his left foot and l had tried everything to remove it and nothing worked .lwas happy when the doctor agreed to remove the verucca only to find out on the morning of his surgery he had one on his right foot which they said is too small to remove. so now l have to pull him back to more doctors again l am so mad any tips to build him up to fight this virus as he is a bad eater costs a fortune





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Painful verrucas can be treated but require some perseverance. In our experience 2-3 treatment of freezing aft removing the hard skin can be useful in eliminating the problem. The freezing actually destroys the cellular structure of the infected cells. Electrosurgery or hyfercation under local anaesthetic is about 90 successful with a single treatment that physically removes the verrucas. Healing times are approx 3 weeks but you are only resting for a day or so post treatment.





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I have tried most things to make my verruca go away but nothing seems to shift it, It's about the size of a two pound coin and as I'm a drummer It's painfull, can anyone help me out.





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I have had about 20 verrucas and a couple of large warts on my feet for five years now, tried all sorts prescribed, over the counter, freezing at surgery over 6 months, duct tape etc and nothing worked. Currently I am using a cream called bye wart and all of a sudden over 2 weeks they are all starting to die! I'm so happy I've finally found something that is working! Please try this cream, if you search it online you can buy easily. I'm also taking immune defence vitamin c and zinc.

I've had a verruca on my foot for about two years, and its raised off my foot and dips in the middle with a black bit in the middle. I've just noticed that it has spread, and I now have two more in the same area. I've tried cutting it off, and using all sorts of creams. I'm thinking of trying the banana method, but home remedies don't normally work for me. My confidence has dropped, and I'm too ashamed to show my feet. At school we are required to do swimming at GCSE, which is in 6 weeks time, but I don't want to have to use a verucca sock in the pool, so I'm hoping to get rid of them before the time comes that I have to do swimming! Any other suggestions?





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Removing a Verruca usingis very common practise in the UK and the USA. There are studies that show that using duct tape can be much more effective than using conventional treatment, although It is still advised to seek medical attention as you made have an allergic reaction to the & more…





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iv had one on my left foot about an inch down from my little toe and an in inch in from the edge of my foot. its very painful when a manage to put direct pressure on it and its been around for atleast 5 years. iv tried the do it your self freeze joby and that didnt have any affect. iv also tried cutting it off which is painful and bloody and doesnt work so dont try that. i am self conscience about it and i even had to decline a foot massage because of it! my advice is that if you have one make a big effort to get rid of it. they are persistant and theres always the risk of them spreding or getting bigger and trust me you dont want to miss out on a foot massage.





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I have had a painful veruca on the ball of my foot now for 16 months. It prevents me from running and playing football so I decided to get rid of it. The home freezing treatents seems to be a waste of time. I have been visiting a podiatrist once per month for the past 6 months. She applies a mix of 60% salicylic and mono acid. I take a scalpel to it every few days and now I have a deep hole (about 8mm deep) in the ball of my foot, with a live and active veruca at the bottom of the hole. I regularly remove loads of dead skin and chunks of dead virus material, but this just causes a deep hole. It appears to have a live root that is sticking up 3mm out of the hole. I have tried pulling this out with pliers but it just breaks. I'm basically immobile for 2-3 days after the 60% acid goes in the hole. I don't mind short term pain but I need to get rid of it to be able to play football again. Would an oxy-acetalyn torch solve the problem?





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I have had a verruca for over 10 years on the ball of my foot, but it has now spread and I have another just behind my little toe on my left foot. It's very painful when I walk and I'm getting aching behind my knee and in my hip and I'm worried that it might be related to the verruca. I've heard horror stories of amputations and would appreciate any advice and hopefully reassurance.





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I cured my verucca by applying Canestan Hydrocortisone twice daily after washing foot and gently rubbing verucca with emery board.

I have had my verruca for over 9 yrs now and it has certainly affected my life, i have had to now have physio on my knees as i have altered my walk because of the pain and im still quite young. I have tried almost everthing, freezing, duck tape, using banana skin, changed the type of socks i wear, used all chemist treatments, you name it ive prob tried it and now its bigger and has spread. However today, ive just undergone dry needling. The several foot doctors ive seen have said all the same that they will not remove it, however this is my last option. Id defo try this by getting referred however im not sure yet what the pain will be after a couple of days but i know il find out. Hope this helps....

Some of you may need to check for rock hard glands and go to see a doctor for a biopsy to be performed. It could be cancer or it could even be verrucae that are a symptom of cancer..





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