Dear Doc

I have a verruca on the pad of my foot and my parents have been treating it for 2-3 months. This hasn't really had much effect and now there is a smaller one growing right beside it. It's painful to walk on and I really, really want to get rid of them!

Elly, 14

Verrucas are caused by a viral infection in the skin. They are basically warts that happen to be on your feet, and tend to be more resistant to treatment than warts on other parts of the body. They are often painful to walk on and can be particularly painful if they are on the sole or near a nail.

Treatment for verrucas usually depends on how many you have and how painful they are. Most go away by themselves. It can take a long time – sometimes weeks, months or even years – but it won’t take forever.

In fact, the chances of a verruca responding to treatment, or simply disappearing on its own, are higher in young people than adults. So it’s definitely worth having a really good go at trying to get rid of them. Be prepared to be persistent.

Treating verrucas

Special paint or gel to put on the verruca is available from chemists. However you say you and your parents have been treating the area for some months without any success. There are lots of different treatments available for verrucas but not all of them work well. You might have to try more than one kind of treatment before the verruca goes for good.

Research shows the most effective treatments contain salicylic acid as their active ingredient. These preparations have a cure rate of around 75 per cent. Choose a brand containing this ingredient and ask your pharmacist for advice if you need it as the brand name may not make this clear.

Then follow the instructions to the letter. You’ll need to rub your verrucas with an emery board or pumice stone until they are flat. This can be hard work and does take some time – and you‘ll need to make sure no-one else in the family uses the emery board or pumice stone as this can pass the verruca on. File the skin right down to the black dots then apply a drop of solution to the centre of the verruca. How often you’ll need to do this depends on the brand – check the instructions.   

Protect the surrounding skin

Bear in mind salicylic acid and other wart treatments can also destroy healthy skin, so it’s a good idea to protect the area around your verrucas by applying petroleum jelly before you start.

Your doctor can also treat the verruca or verrucas with an ointment and a plaster, or they might decide to freeze it out with something called liquid nitrogen. This is a cold, icy liquid and you’ll usually need several applications. It’s important not to try and cut or dig out the verruca yourself – always get proper treatment.

Swimming with a verruca

You don’t need to avoid swimming but make sure your verrucas are covered. As you have more than one, it’s probably best to get a special verruca sock from your local pharmacy rather than trying to cover them with plasters. Also make sure you wear flip flops in communal showers and swimming pool changing areas.

For more help and information

If you would like to know more about verrucas, please ask your doctor.

Last reviewed by Great Ormond Street Hospital: 6 March 2008

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