Verrucas

What causes verrucas?

Like other kinds of wart, verrucas are caused by the HPV virus. You generally catch it through contaminated surfaces. Wearing socks or flip flops in shared areas can help stop you from catching verrucas. Don’t share shoes with people either, as this can spread the infection. It’s a common misconception that verrucas and other types of wart are caused by poor hygiene. The infection causing the verruca burrows under the skin, so no amount of washing with soap and water will get rid of them.

What are the symptoms of verrucas?

Verrucas often look like white or yellow circles, and have dark spots inside. They’re often more painful than other kinds of warts. This is mostly because there’s more pressure on your feet than the rest of your body, from walking, standing and friction from footwear.

Your clinician will usually diagnose verrucas just by looking at them and asking about your symptoms. Rarely, they might be unsure if it’s a verruca, a corn or a callus. They may need to look closer for tiny broken blood vessels, or try shaving a small amount of skin off to make them more obvious. If there are signs of melanoma, like a rapidly growing mass, you should talk to your clinician right away.

Can verrucas lead to other problems?

The most common problem caused by verrucas is pain and discomfort. If your verrucas go untreated and don’t heal, they can also cause you difficulty walking. Be careful touching your verrucas. If you transfer the virus to your hands, you might spread the HPV virus to other parts of your body and create other types of wart. You might also develop a secondary bacterial infection on your feet from breaking the skin. This can sometimes even leave scars on the feet.

You can also spread verrucas to others. To avoid this, you should wear socks or shoes when using shared spaces like gyms, and flip flops in communal showers. If you share a bed with someone, try to wear socks in bed. You can also try covering your verrucas with plasters to further stop the spread.