Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Ignore A Verruca
More often than not, people ignore verrucas because they believe that given enough time, the verruca will go away by itself.
However, I’m here to tell you that you should probably get professional verruca treatment. Why? While you may not be in a rush to get rid of your verruca at this very moment, there are a few reasons why it’s better to get you verruca professionally treated sooner rather than later.
What is a verruca?
Firstly let’s take a look at what a verruca actually is. Verrucas are affectively warts that grow on your feet. You may also have heard foot verrucas referred to as plantar warts; this is because plantar is the medical term for the sole of the foot.
Warts and verrucas are exactly the same things. Verruca is just the word we use when the wart appears on the foot. To the untrained eye identifying a verruca can be tricky verrucas are often mistaken for corns. To correctly identify any foot issue you have, we recommend making an appointment to see your podiatrist. You may do yourself more harm than good trying to treat an incorrectly self-diagnosed foot problem at home.
Check your feet regularly for verrucas
Keeping on top of your overall health also means keeping on top of your foot health. We recommend checking your feet regularly (at least once per week) for any signs of verrucas and other foot problems. Make this a part of your regular routine and avoid more severe foot complications further down the line.
Here are five reasons you don’t want to ignore a verruca.
Verrucas usually worsen over time
When left untreated, verrucas usually worsen over time. They often continue to grow until they reach a centimetre or more in width and come back on bordered or even covered with hard skin. This can cause pain and even difficulty moving around. It’s also possible that the general pressure from your foot may force the verruca into your foot over time.
Verrucas spread easily
Verrucas spread quickly through both skin-to-skin contact and contaminated services. You can also spread verrucas to other parts of your body. They’re highly contagious, and everything from towels to bath mats can become a hotspot. In order to prevent the spread of the virus, we recommend wearing shower shoes or socks when indoors and utilisation of your own towels. This will reduce, although not fully eliminate, the risk.
Verrucas caused pain
Verrucas can be painful. If your verruca gets particularly bad, the pain may impact your everyday activities. We advise getting treatment for verruca as quickly as possible to prevent these longer-term issues.
Verrucas can lead to other issues
All types of foot pain and discomfort come with the risk of developing other related issues. People with foot pain, especially verrucas, may limp, develop knee pain, develop posture issues or even muscle aches. This is because all of our limbs are connected. If you have a pain in your foot, your gate (how you walk) may change in order to compensate for the pain. This, in turn, may lead to back issues or posture issues over time.
Verruca treatment is effective
It’s 2022, and over-the-counter products are no longer a match for professional verruca treatment. While both are more powerful than ever, professional verruca treatments can now come with up to a 99% success rate.
Swift microwave treatment is generally thought to be the most effective verruca treatment available; however, treatments such as cryotherapy and verruca needling are often more widely available and also boast very high success rates.
If you’re struggling with a verruca, contact our friendly team today to book an appointment. Our fully qualified podiatrists will be more than happy to assist in saying goodbye to a stubborn verruca.
*This blog contains general information about medical conditions and is not advice. You must not rely upon the information in this blog as medical advice. Medical advice should always be sought from an appropriately qualified podiatrist such as ourselves.