Prevention

Hopefully by now you’ve got the message: verrucas are wrong and bad and as welcome as a doorstep salesman with halitosis. Here are some simple precautions you can take to protect yourself from the verruca virus:

Cover your feet when in damp communal areas, such as

a hostel or perhaps a random cave (remember that in some

parts of the world, hostels and random caves are hard to

tell apart). Flip-flops are an inexpensive and effective precaution.

Some may feel self-conscious when wearing verruca (rubber) socks (Weren’t the Verruca Socks a great band?), but they’re a great way to reduce the spread of infection poolside. Who cares if you look silly? If you want to look more fashionable, you may want to don a pair of the latest swim shoes. However, the benefits of the use of verruca socks is not universally agreed, with some thinking that socks draw attention to the sufferer.

Don’t share socks, shoes or towels with anyone

who has a verruca (Is sock-sharing even a thing?).

Cover cuts and abrasions on your feet with a

sticking plaster.

If, despite your best efforts, you still get a verruca, it’s best to slam the door in its face in an effort to avoid further infection. To prevent it from spreading to other parts of your feet, here are some helpful hints:

To help prevent shoe contamination, always wear

socks or stockings with footwear — whether they’re

cheap plastic tat or an expensive pair of designer pumps.

If you’re currently experiencing hippy flashbacks

and simply cannot stop yourself from padding

around barefoot while hugging trees, cover your

verruca with a sticking plaster.

You can power-hose flip-flops after use, although giving them a quick rinse under the bathroom tap will do in most cases. Remember to thoroughly rinse the bath, basin or shower floor when you are finished.

Restrict the use of pumice stones or emery boards

to the verruca itself. It’s best to have hard skin

removed professionally at a clinic, but if you must

go completely DIY with a pumice stone or emery

board, never use it on uninfected skin — you’ll risk

spreading the infection.

Avoid scratching, as this too may cause the verruca to spread.

Summary

As with any condition, prevention is always

better than cure. So here is a little reminder

of how you can help keep your feet verruca free

and in doing so, help to prevent you from passing

it on to others.