Getting Rid of Verrucas: 5 Methods

1. 1

   To quickly remove the bulk of the verruca, use home freezing kits. Verrucas are warts on the soles of your feet. Within two to three years, approximately 66% of verrucas will disappear. [3] If they are painful or bothering you, you should consider cryotherapy, which involves freezing the wart off. Freezing rapidly hardens and kills skin cells. The skin cracks off as they warm up, removing the verruca.

   • Unfortunately, no treatment option is 100% effective. However, freezing is considered the most effective treatment and is usually repeated 2-3 times to completely destroy the verruca.
   • Home freezing is best for smaller warts under 1 centimeter in size. Nonetheless, you will most likely need to repeat the procedure several times.
   • Because freezing is painful, it may not be the best option for young children. [4]
   • If you are concerned about the procedure or have large verrucas that do not seem to respond to treatment, you can receive professional cryotherapy at your doctor's or dermatologist's office.

2. 2

   Verrucas can be broken down over time with bandages and creams containing salicylic acid. Salicylic acid, which is found in most over-the-counter wart removers, is the most effective way to remove a verruca painlessly. On some plantar warts, however, a concentration of up to 40% salicylic acid may be required. [5] Purchase some from your local pharmacy and follow the directions on the package.

   • Depending on the severity of the verruca, your treatment may take several weeks.
   • Once a day, remove the bandage and wash the verruca with soap and water.
   • Grinding down the wart with a pumice stone or nail file before applying the cream often yields faster results. [6] Never share pumice stones or nail files because doing so could spread the infection to another person. [7]

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3. 3

   Consult a doctor if your verruca is too painful to walk on, is larger than 1 inch in diameter, or is unsightly. All verrucas will disappear on their own over time. However, if the wart is interfering with your daily life, a doctor can help speed up the process through a variety of treatments. Although seeing a doctor is rarely medically necessary, it will expedite your treatment. [8]

   • If you have warts that appear in clusters, you should see a doctor. These are called mosaic warts and are more difficult to treat than solitary warts. [9]

4. 4

   Wear shoes in communal showers and bring your own towels and washcloths to the pool and gym to avoid verrucas. Verrucas are caused by a virus that lives in warm, moist environments. It enters your skin through any small cuts or openings in your foot, giving rise to the verruca. Most verrucas can be avoided by protecting your feet in warm, wet, communal environments.

   • Remember that the virus can go dormant. This means that even if you don't have any symptoms and HPV doesn't show up on tests, you could still have the virus. [10]

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1. 1

   If you're worried about the pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Take 1-2 regular strength pain reliever pills 30 minutes before applying treatment. Advil or Ibuprofen are perfectly acceptable anti-inflammatory medications that will alleviate the procedure's pain. While freezing a wart is not a painful procedure, you can make it as pleasant as possible. [11]

2. 2

   As directed, use the freezing agent. A home cryotherapy kit, which usually costs less than $20, is available at most drug stores. If you are performing at home, follow the directions on your bottle. Typically, a small, tipped prod or swab must be chilled. You then apply this for 2-3 seconds to the verruca. While most home cryotherapy kits operate in the same manner, read the specific instructions on your kit to get the best results.

   • For about 3 seconds, you will feel a sharp, pinch-like pain, but it should fade after that. After about 10-15 minutes, you will most likely feel nothing but light numbness.
   • Sit down to perform the procedure if you have a low pain tolerance. While fainting is uncommon, you should exercise caution if you feel woozy.

3. 3

   Wrap a bandage lightly around the frozen-over area. A scab will form over the verruca after it has frozen. You might even get a small blister. Cover the verruca with sterile gauze and make sure it is not draining or bleeding.

   • If you get a blister and it breaks, carefully wipe it up and keep the fluid contained. It could be infected with the wart virus. [12] Then, using mild soap and water, clean the area. Dry the affected area and wrap it in a clean, nonstick bandage. [13]
   • While you can resume normal activities following cryotherapy, you should avoid swimming and using a hot tub. Bacteria in the water may cause wart infections. You should avoid soaking the area with water in any way for the first 24 hours after treatment, such as by washing dishes. [14]

4. 4

   If the wart returns after 2-3 weeks, refreeze it. Only minor warts can be removed with a single freezing procedure. You will almost always require multiple treatments. To avoid infection, keep the scab and any blisters clean in between treatments. However, it is best to leave any scabs or blisters alone. [15]

   • Consult a doctor if you have bleeding, discharge, numbness that lasts more than 2-3 days, or swelling that indicates an infection. [16]

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1. 1

   For the best outcome, combine freezing with home remedies. While freezing is the quickest and most effective method for removing warts, it rarely completely destroys the wart on the first try. Freezing can help remove the majority of the wart, making patches, salicylic acid, and other treatments more effective. To combat the verruca, use a combination of freezing and the following home remedies.

2. 2

   Warm water and light filing will help to soften the wart. You can improve the effectiveness of your wart treatments by physically weakening them. Before treating the wart, gently sand down the wart with a pumice stone or a file, removing the top layer of skin to make the medicine more effective. Soak your foot in warm water before applying gels and creams to soften the skin and make it more receptive.

   • Before applying any treatments, make sure to dry your foot and remove any dead skin. [17]

3. 3

   Salicylic acid gels, creams, and patches should be used. Most over-the-counter wart treatments contain salicylic acid as the main ingredient. It is available in gels and patches, making it a convenient and effective way to treat verrucas over time. Treatment typically takes 12 weeks or longer to completely eliminate the verrucas. Because of the length of time required, many people combine salicylic acid with freezing or other removal methods.

   • Salicylic acid harms both healthy and unhealthy skin, but you can protect the skin around your verrucas with a thin layer of petroleum jelly.
   • After applying the salicylic acid, cover the wart to keep the medicine close to the skin. [18]

4. 4

   Consider using duct tape. While there is little hard evidence to support the efficacy of duct tape treatment, many people swear by it. Apply duct tape tightly over the verruca and leave it there for six days. When the six days are up, remove the tape and soak the verruca in warm water for 5 minutes. According to legend, duct tape works by containing the virus near the skin, aggravating it while causing your immune system to focus on and destroy the wart.

   • If the tape comes undone, replace it right away.
   • This may need to be repeated or used in conjunction with other methods, so don't be alarmed if you still have a wart or if it returns after treatment is completed.

5. 5

   After piercing the verruca, disinfect and cover it. This method simply accelerates your body's natural immune response to the wart by directing white blood cells to the cut area. While this method is not strictly recommended because it can be extremely painful, it does have advantages. It is completely natural, free of charge, and assists your body in fighting the infection on its own. If you decide to pierce it, do the following:

   • Sterilize the needle ahead of time by holding it over an open flame for 5-10 seconds.
   • Soap and water should be used to clean the wart. Soak it in warm water for 5 minutes to loosen the skin.
   • With a quick, shallow movement, remove the wart. All you have to do is break the skin. This will be excruciating.
   • Clean the wart, apply antibacterial ointment to it, and bandage it for 1-2 weeks. [19]

6. 6

   Allow verrucas to fade on their own. All verrucas will go away on their own after a year or two, so if the verruca is not causing you any pain, you should consider letting it go. This is the simplest and most effective method for removing warts because your immune system does all of the work.

   • However, verrucas rarely go away on their own in people with weakened immune systems (such as those with HIV), so it is recommended that they seek treatment.
   • To alleviate pain, avoid wearing high-heeled shoes or anything that puts a lot of your weight on the verruca. Thicker socks and more comfortable shoes will all be beneficial.
   • You can purchase moleskin and make a donut-shaped pad, leaving the verruca in the center. This padding will keep you from stepping on the wart in pain.

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1. 1

   Have the verruca removed. Verrucas can be pared or rubbed down by a podiatrist or chiropodist in some cases. This is frequently used in conjunction with other treatments because it allows the medicine to reach the root of the wart and destroy it.

   • This will not completely remove the verruca, but it will reduce its size and, hopefully, make it less painful.

2. 2

   Have the verruca professionally removed. Verrucas can be removed at the doctor's office using liquid nitrogen. This is a more intense version of home cryotherapy kits and is known as cryotherapy.

   • The verruca is sprayed with liquid nitrogen, which freezes the skin cells and kills them. Following the procedure, a blister will form, which will scab over and fall off within a few days, carrying the verruca with it. [20]
   • The procedure may need to be repeated several times for very large verrucas before the verruca is completely removed.
   • Because cryotherapy can be painful, it is not recommended for young children.

3. 3

   Obtain a prescription for chemical therapies. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a chemical treatment that involves dabbing a corrosive substance directly onto the verruca to kill the skill cells. Among the prescription treatments are:

   • Avita, Retin-A retinoid cream
   • Cantharidin (Cantharone, Cantharone Plus) is a type of cantharidin. This medication causes the skin beneath the wart to blister, allowing the wart to be removed from the skin. At your doctor's office, this medication is applied to the wart.
   • Immunotherapy drugs to combat the HPV virus
   • Bleomycin injections, though painful and rarely used nowadays [21]

4. 4

   For severe verrucas, consider laser or surgical removal. Only used in the most severe cases, this will remove the wart quickly and permanently. It may be costly, and walking on your foot will be painful, making this one of the least appealing options for removing your wart.

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1. 1

   Cover up your verruca at the pool. Verrucas are most commonly passed from person to person at the swimming pool, so it is critical to cover your verruca with a waterproof plaster before going swimming. Alternatively, special swim socks can be purchased at a pharmacy.

   • You can cover the verruca with nail polish varnish, which forms a seal that keeps the virus from spreading to others. [22] Keep in mind, however, that this is not a scientifically proven method.

2. 2

   Share no towels, socks, or shoes. Because verrucas can spread through the sharing of towels, socks, and shoes, if you have one, avoid sharing these items with others. You should bring and use your own equipment to the gym or the local pool.

3. 3

   Wear flip-flops in public showers. Verrucas, like swimming pools, can easily spread from person to person in communal showers. When using public restrooms, you should wear flip-flops. [23]

4. 4

   Never touch other people's warts or touch your own without first washing your hands. Because some HPV virus strains are more contagious than others, keep the verruca covered and avoid touching other people's warts. [24]

5. 5

   At the gym, use the sterilizing wipes. Adults are most likely to get verrucas at the gym, but they can be easily avoided by using the wipes located near the equipment. Make sure to clean up after yourself, and if you're concerned about spreading verrucas, consider investing in some lifting gloves. [25]

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