Warts and Verrucas

Award winning dermatology service, with over 20 years on experience

Short waiting lists, on some occasions offering same week appointments

Safe environment, in Care Quality Commission approved facilities

wart removal manchester

A wart is a contagious viral infection of the skin which is most commonly found on the hands or feet. It appears as a hard small nodule and some can be incredibly stubborn and often painful. Warts and Verrucae are very contagious and can be passed from one person to another or from one place on a person to another. Some people can be immune to the wart virus, so will not develop warts even if they are exposed to the virus.

Warts can appear on the feet as verrucas and due to the pressure of walking and standing, grown inwards rather than outwards. They can be painful because of their depth which can press on nerves in the foot. Most verrucas will die on their own within 1-2 years but some can last much longer and require treatment.

WHAT CAUSES WARTS & VERRUCAE?

Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, which enters the skin surface, causing growth and thickening of the top (epidermal) layer of the skin. This produces the rough, hard texture of a wart. Warts are contagious, and close skin-to-skin contact can pass on the infection. Warts and Verruca are more likely to be spread if the skin is wet or damaged, which is why they are often caught around public swimming pools. It can take months for a wart of verruca to appear after you have come into contact with the virus.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF WARTS & VERRUCAE?

Warts vary in appearance depending on where they are on the body and how thick the skin is, but the common wart is often round, firm and raised, with a rough surface. On close inspection, many tiny black dots may be seen in the centre, caused by ruptured blood vessels.

The majority (70%) of all warts are found on the fingers and hands. Warts commonly occur around fingernails, especially in children and can lead to a depression in the nail matrix, causing grooves to develop in the nails. Verrucas, which are warts on the feet account for 25% of all wart virus infections. These can be painful during walking.

HOW CAN WARTS & VERRUCAE BE TREATED?

Common wart and verruca treatments such as home use wart paints or topical solutions may be a good initial choice and can work to treat the area. These treatments can kill off the skin that the virus is living in but can take many months of daily treatment and some warts can still remain.

Cryotherapy may also be a good option and can be very successful. Liquid nitrogen which is very cold is placed on the infected tissue to kill off the virus. Usually a course of treatment is needed. Despite these manoeuvres, warts may be stubborn and fail to improve.

For stubborn warts, pulsed dye laser has a high cure rate with the advantage of minimal if any scarring. Cantharidin paint and pulsed dye laser results in very good improvement however multiple sessions may be required. These lasers target the blood supply to the wart, heating up and sealing this blood supply so the wart cannot survive. One treatment is usually enough to kill the growth with little to no pain.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Most people will have warts at some point in their life, though they tend to affect children and young adults. Warts are generally not painful, though verrucas can be sore to stand on. Some people find their warts embarrassing and those on the fingers may interfere with normal daily activities.

Without treatment, the length of time it takes a wart to disappear will vary between people. As a rough guide, about a third of warts have gone within three months, and most will have resolved within 2 years. Verrucas can take a lot longer than this to disappear.

For further information please visit the NHS website and the British Association of Dermatology Patient leaflet.

  • Wash your hands after touching a wart or verruca
  • Change your socks daily if you have a verruca
  • Cover warts and verrucae with a plaster when swimming
  • Take care not to cut a wart when shaving
  • Don’t share towels, flannels, socks or shoes
  • Don’t bite your nails on fingers with warts on
  • Don’t walk barefoot in public places if you have a verrucae
  • Don’t pick or scratch at them

REQUEST A CALL BACK

Please fill in this form and one of our team will give you a call back to arrange a consultation with one of our expert dermatologists.

"*" indicates required fields

Best time to call?
Please tick if you are an existing patient
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
dermatology specialists

HEAR FROM OUR PATIENTS

WHY CHOOSE wart removal FROM EVERYTHING SKIN CLINIC IN MANCHESTER?

At Everything Skin Clinic™, we have a team of highly trained Consultant dermatologists, who have completed specialist training in Dermatology and are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council. All our consultants hold substantive contracts with the best Dermatology centres in leading NHS hospitals. Therefore, you can be certain of the highest quality private care.

We offer a range of treatments and can offer one, or a combination of treatments to achieve the best results. Unlike many other clinics, we can offer diagnosis and treatment all under one roof by expert consultant dermatologist, so you know you’ll be in safe hands.

Latest INSIGHTS AND ADVICE

wart removal manchester

Spider Vein Treatment at Everything Skin Clinic

Spider Vein Treatment at Everything Skin Clinic Are you tired of constantly having to cover up your spider veins, or thread veins on the face with heavy make-up, or those on the legs with thick tights or trousers? Spider veins are the nickname that is

READ MORE
wart removal manchester

Why am I getting spots during isolation?

Why am I getting spots during isolation?  Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have all experienced lockdown this year. We’re wearing less make-up, getting more rest, we’re even getting an hour of fresh air and exercise every day and if there’s one thing we all

READ MORE

Are you insured?

We accept PMI Patients from all major insurers which makes all Consultations and Treatments FREE. *

*Check your policy for excess and restrictions.