Treatment
Treatment
Popular Treatments
There is no guaranteed instant cure for verrucas! There…said it. But don’t despair just yet. There are treatments designed to safely remove them much sooner than if they’re just left to ‘die of old age’ (which can take years or even decades!). Verrucas have two main enemies (three if you count Doctor Who): salicylic acid and cryosurgery (freezing).
Salicylic Acid
This breaks down infected tissue, ultimately destroying the virus so violently it’s a wonder nobody’s invented an 18+ video game on the subject to rival Grand Theft Auto.
Just remember that before applying the salicylic acid it’s best to file the verruca down with a disposable emery board but do so in an unfrenzied manner — it’s a foot infection you’re trying to kill here, not the spawn of Satan, and over-aggressive attacks on the verruca may spread the infection. Several sessions are usually required before clearance.
Cryosurgery
This involves zapping the infection with extremely low temperatures, destroying infected tissue and issuing your verruca a one-way ticket to Oblivion junction.
The effectiveness of the treatment varies from patient to patient, with some requiring just a few sessions and others more. Side-effects include discomfort and blistering, but can also include redness due to inflammation, blackness of the tissue due to death of infected tissues (which is good), and even swelling in the foot (which is temporary).
| Applying duct tape to your Verruca over a period of time really has been found to be helpful, but there’s very little formal evidence of its effectiveness | Electrosurgery or excisional surgery may also be considered. With electrosurgery, a needle is placed into the verruca and an electric current is used to boil it (Boiled verruca! Not a pleasant thought.) after which it is removed. With excisional surgery, the verruca is cut out with a scalpel. Success is not guaranteed with either process, and scarring may result — getting rid of a verruca is often not going to be a walk in the park |
| The chemical glutaraldehyde works, though it can temporarily stain the skin brown. There’s nothing wrong with a tan of course, but if it’s limited to your left foot you may end up frightening passers-by | There has been some discussion about vaccination, this but this is not currently an available option. |
| Another chemical, silver nitrate, can be effective, though it may produce a burning effect. If you’re okay with feeling like you’ve just spent a fortnight on a fire walking holiday, this may be worth a try. It’s really not that bad. | Dinitrochlorobenzene can trigger an immune response that kills verrucas. However, its use is under-researched and extreme caution is advised because it has been known to cause genetic mutations, and not in a cool, action-hero way |
| The anti-cancer drug Bleomycin and laser therapy have both been used to treat verrucas, though again, there’s little scientific evidence for its efficacy | Some say applying tea tree oil helps, but there is no clear medical evidence of its effectiveness either. Also, be wary: tea tree oil is very, very stinky! If you use it, make sure you are the only person in the house, the neighbourhood or, ideally, the postal district |
