Most people will get a verruca or a wart at least once in their life. In fact, more than 10% of people in the UK have either a verruca or a wart at any one time. Most of these people wait several months before doing anything about it. Leaving these to heal by themselves can make them more painful and more difficult to get rid of.
Identifying them and then starting a process to get rid of them promptly will ensure that they clear up rather than linger.
Warts are not normally harmful although they can be very itchy, and depending on where they show up, can be embarrassing. Verrucas, on the other hand, are more likely to be painful. People who have had them will tell you that it feels as if they are standing on a sharp needle.
What does a verruca look like?
You will know them right away because of the tiny black dots which are characteristic of them. The dots appear under the hard skin and the entire verruca can be any diameter from a few millimetres to 1 cm.
Verrucas normally grow deep into the skin, and they may have an area of flat skin with a soft centre and a hard outer edge. They are normally painful to touch.
What causes a verruca?
A verruca or a wart can appear weeks or even months after an initial infection with a virus called HPV (human papilloma). The time between the infection and the first appearance of the verruca is called the incubation period.
Verrucas are easily spread if the person’s skin is wet or soft or the outer layer is rubbed away.
Both verrucas and warts will normally go away by themselves without treatment, although in adults it can take up to five years for a verruca which is untreated to clear up – a long time to feel as if you are standing on a needle.
If you or your client has either a wart or a verruca, the first person to speak to is the chemist. There are several excellent creams and gels which will work quickly to get rid of them.
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