Verruca (HPV)

Stubborn Verrucas? Expert Verruca Care in Glasgow at Harley Street Medics

Dealing with a persistent verruca can be frustrating and often painful. These common foot warts can affect your daily comfort and activities. At Harley Street Medics in Glasgow, our experienced dermatologists offer advanced and effective verruca  treatments to help you get back on your feet, pain-free.

This comprehensive guide will explain what a verruca is, what causes verrucas, what do verrucas look like, and explore the various options available to get rid of verrucas, from home care to specialist procedures at our Glasgow clinic.

Verruca
Verruca

Stubborn Verrucas? Expert Verruca Care in Glasgow at Harley Street Medics

Dealing with a persistent verruca can be frustrating and often painful. These common foot warts can affect your daily comfort and activities. At Harley Street Medics in Glasgow, our experienced dermatologists offer advanced and effective verruca treatments to help you get back on your feet, pain-free.

This comprehensive guide will explain what a verruca is, what causes verrucas, what do verrucas look like, and explore the various options available to get rid of verrucas, from home care to specialist procedures at our Glasgow clinic.

Table of Contents:

What is a Verruca? Understanding These Foot Warts

So, what is a verruca (plural: verrucae, commonly referred to as verrucas)? A verruca is simply a wart that develops on the sole of the foot, or sometimes around the toes. They are also known as plantar warts. Like all warts, verrucas are benign (non-cancerous) skin growths.

What Do Verrucas Look Like? How to Identify a Verruca

Knowing what do verrucas look like is key to early identification and treatment. Here’s how to identify a verruca:

  • Appearance: Often flat due to the pressure of walking, rather than raised like warts elsewhere. They can be white, sometimes with a darker central pinpoint (this is a tiny clotted blood vessel, not a “seed” or “root”).
  • Texture: The surface can be rough and slightly crumbly or cauliflower-like.
  • Skin Lines: Normal skin lines (striations) are interrupted by the verruca. Corns and calluses, on the other hand, usually have skin lines running through them.
  • Black Dots: Small black dots are often visible within the verruca. These are thrombosed (clotted) capillaries.
  • Clusters: Sometimes, multiple verrucas can cluster together, forming what is known as a mosaic wart.
  • Pain: A key identifier is often pain upon direct pressure, like standing or walking, often described as feeling like stepping on a small, sharp stone.

If you’re unsure if you have a verruca, it’s always best to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis.

What Causes Verrucas and How Do You Get Them?

The direct answer to “what causes verrucas?” is an infection of the skin by certain strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

How do you get verrucas or how do you get a verruca? The HPV virus thrives in warm, moist environments and is spread through:

  • Direct contact: Skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a verruca.
  • Indirect contact: Walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces, especially in communal areas like swimming pools, gym changing rooms, and showers. The virus can enter the skin through tiny cuts, cracks, or abrasions on the sole of the foot.

Common Questions: Are Verrucas Painful? How Long Do Verrucas Last?

  • Are verrucas painful? Yes, verrucas are often painful, especially when they are on a weight-bearing part of the foot. The pressure from standing and walking can make them feel tender and cause sharp pain.

How long do verrucas last? This varies greatly. Some verrucas may disappear on their own within a few months, especially in children. However, many can be very stubborn and last for years if left untreated, potentially spreading or becoming more painful.

Verruca

How to Get Rid of Verrucas at Home

Many people search for how to get rid of verrucas quickly. While the idea of getting rid of verrucas overnight is appealing, this is generally unrealistic for effective and safe treatments.

  • How to Get Rid of Verrucas at Home:
    Several home treatments are available:
    • Salicylic Acid: Over-the-counter gels, paints, or medicated plasters containing salicylic acid can help. This involves daily application and gentle filing of the dead skin. It can take many weeks or months.
    • Duct Tape Method: Some people find covering the verruca with duct tape for several days, then soaking and debriding it, can help. Evidence is mixed.
    • Freezing Sprays (Cryotherapy at Home): Over-the-counter freezing sprays are less potent than professional cryotherapy but may work for small, superficial verrucas.
  • How to get rid of a verruca on a child at home:
    While these methods can be attempted, children’s skin is more sensitive. Always follow product instructions carefully and stop if irritation occurs. Professional advice is recommended if home treatments are ineffective or if the     verruca is causing significant pain.
  • “How to remove a verruca root” / “How to remove a verruca root at home”:
    It’s a common misconception that     verrucas have a “root” like a plant. What appears as a root are actually the deeper layers of infected skin tissue and tiny blood vessels. Attempting to cut out or physically remove a “verruca root” at home is strongly discouraged. This can lead to significant pain, bleeding, infection, scarring, and often fails to remove the entire verruca, leading to recurrence.

Professional Verruca Treatment – The Harley Street Medics Solution:

For persistent, painful, multiple, or difficult-to-treat verrucas, professional treatment offers the best chance of successful removal. At Harley Street Medics in Glasgow, we provide several effective options to treat a verruca:

  • Cryotherapy: Professional-strength liquid nitrogen is applied to freeze and destroy the verruca tissue. Multiple treatments may be needed.
  • Stronger Topical Treatments: We can prescribe more potent topical agents than those available over-the-counter.
  • Curettage and/or Electrosurgery: The verruca is surgically scraped away (curettage) and the base may be cauterised (electrosurgery) under local anaesthetic. This is often effective for stubborn verrucas.
  • Laser Treatment: A specialised laser can be used to target and destroy the verruca tissue (availability discussed during consultation).
  • Needling: A technique where the verruca is punctured multiple times with a sterile needle under local anaesthetic to stimulate an immune response (availability discussed during consultation).

Discover our advanced Verruca Removal treatments in Glasgow.

Your Patient Journey: Stepping Towards Healthy Feet

We provide a clear and supportive journey from your initial consultation and diagnosis through to your treatment and aftercare.

Learn more about what to expect during your visit to Harley Street Medics

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Understanding Healing: What Does a Verruca Look Like When It Comes Out?

After effective treatment, the verruca tissue dies and separates from the healthy skin.

  • Following cryotherapy, a blister may form, which then dries up, and the verruca may fall off with the overlying dead skin.
  • After curettage, there will be a small wound that heals.

The aim is for the skin to return to normal, with the natural skin lines reforming where the verruca was. There isn’t a single “root” that “comes out”; rather, the entire infected tissue is gradually eliminated or removed, allowing healthy skin to regenerate.

Hear From Our Patients

Why Choose Harley Street Medics for Verruca Treatment in Glasgow?

  • Expert Diagnosis & Treatment: Our highly experienced Dermatologist, Dr. Vincent Kabeya, specialises in diagnosing and treating all types of skin conditions, including stubborn verrucas. While our Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Khalil Al-Nakib, primarily deals with other skin lesions, he can be consulted for very specific or complex cases requiring surgical expertise not typically associated with routine verruca care.
  • Personalised Care: We tailor treatment plans to your specific needs and the nature of your verruca.
  • Advanced Therapies: Access to a range of effective treatments, including options not available over-the-counter.
  • Focus on Comfort & Results: We aim to make your treatment as comfortable as possible and achieve the best outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions About Verruca

Let’s address some more common queries:

What is a verruca?

A verruca is a type of wart that occurs on the soles of the feet or around the toes. It’s caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

Verrucas often appear as small, flat or slightly raised areas of thickened skin, frequently with tiny black dots in the centre. Skin lines are usually interrupted. They can be painful when pressed.

You can get verrucas through direct contact with the HPV virus, often by walking barefoot in contaminated communal areas like swimming pools or changing rooms, or through skin-to-skin contact.

No, it’s highly unrealistic to get rid of verrucas overnight. Effective treatments, whether at home or professional, take time – from weeks to several months

While home treatments (like salicylic acid) can work for some, persistent or painful verrucas often require professional treatment. Options at Harley Street Medics include cryotherapy, prescription topicals, and curettage. 

Over-the-counter salicylic acid preparations can be tried. For a child, ensure the product is suitable for their age and monitor for skin irritation. If there’s no improvement or it’s painful, seek professional advice. Avoid aggressive attempts to remove a verruca root at home.

Yes, verrucas are often painful, especially when on weight-bearing areas of the foot. It can feel like stepping on a small stone.

Verrucas can last from a few months to several years if untreated. Some may resolve on their own, but many are persistent and require treatment.

After successful treatment, the verruca tissue dies. It may darken, blister, or gradually shrink and fall away, revealing healthy skin underneath where normal skin lines should be restored. There isn’t a single “root” that visibly “comes out.”

A dermatologist, like Dr. Vincent Kabeya at Harley Street Medics, is an expert in diagnosing and treating verrucas. They can offer a range of effective treatments

Find Us in Glasgow

Address: 154 Clyde Street, Glasgow, G1 4EX
Phone: 0141 488 8985
Email: hello@harleystreetmedics.clinic

Your Next Step: Book Your Consultation in Glasgow

If you’re tired of dealing with a painful or persistent verruca, professional help is available. Contact Harley Street Medics in Glasgow today to schedule your consultation and discuss the best verruca care options for you.

Take the first step towards clear, comfortable feet!

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