Verruca Removal in Northampton
Verrucas are plantar warts that develop on the soles of the feet. They can be stubborn and uncomfortable, particularly when walking or standing.
Verrucas are regularly assessed and treated as part of our blemish removal services.
What is a verruca?
A Verruca is a wart which develops on weight-bearing areas such as the sole of your foot. They are highly contagious and are caused by the human papillomavirus, also referred to as HPV, which thrives in damp areas such as swimming pools or changing rooms.
What they look like:
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They may be flat or slightly raised
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Have a rough or grainy surface
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Contain small dark dots
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Disrupt the normal skin pattern
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As Verrucas are contagious, it is important to help prevent the spread if you do develop them. You can do this by covering them up with waterproof plasters when swimming, wearing footwear around the pool and in communal showers and also by avoiding sharing socks, shoes or towels.
How to treat verrucas?
Verrucas can be extremely difficult to treat, and generally the longer they have been present, the more established and embedded they become within the foot, making treatment more challenging.
As they tend to be stubborn, verrucas often require multiple treatments and patience. Treatment is planned on a case-by-case basis, with healing time allowed between sessions.
With a skin tag, we physically remove the lesion and, once healed, treatment is usually complete. However, as verrucas are caused by the HPV virus, treatment is not simply about removing the visible tissue. Instead, both cryotherapy and electrolysis aim to stimulate the body's immune response, encouraging it to recognise and fight the remaining virus.
This is also why many over-the-counter treatments and alternative methods often fail. Verrucas can be stubborn because the underlying virus remains present, and successful treatment relies on the immune system clearing the infection.
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How Advanced Electrolysis Treats Verrucas
Advanced electrolysis removes a verruca by using an electrical current to deliver localised heat to the area. This heat will instantly cauterise the blood vessels that feed the growth and trigger an immune response which helps to fight off the remaining HPV.
As verrucas grow on weight-bearing areas, such as the feet, where the skin is thicker, multiple sessions are usually required in order to remove the full infection.
How Cryotherapy Treats Verrucas
Cryotherapy uses liquified nitrous oxide to deliver freezing temperatures to the blemish using a cryo-pen. This process destroys the infected tissue, and kick starts your immune system to fight off the remaining HPV, leading to the verruca eventually falling off naturally.
In order to completely clear the lesion, most people require 2-6 sessions with adequate down time in between (12-16 weeks) to allow sufficient time for the immune system to respond and clear the virus. As a result, the overall treatment journey can take anywhere from six months to a year, depending on the individual case and how long the verruca has been present.
What To Expect After Treatment
Following electrolysis thermolysis, the treated area will naturally scab over and fall off naturally. It is important to avoid picking at the area in order to reduce the risk of scarring.
After your final cryotherapy appointment, the tissue dies, and over the next couple of weeks, the verruca will fall off with your immune system healing the underlying skin. You may experience blisters or scabbing during this time. It is important to leave these alone to allow for adequate healing and to reduce the risk of scarring.
The treatment itself can be somewhat uncomfortable, and there can be some discomfort during the healing phase. However, when the process is followed correctly, both cryotherapy and electrolysis can achieve excellent long-term results and complete resolution of the verruca.
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Verruca Removal at The Expert Blemish Clinic in Northampton
1. Book a blemish consultation
Every lesion is carefully assessed before treatment. Verrucas are reviewed thoroughly, particularly if they are painful, long-standing or changing. If a lesion presents atypically, further screening is carried out before treatment using the Map My Mole service.
We will never remove or treat a lesion unless we are confident it is safe to do so
2. Verruca removal
Once we have identified the lesion as a verruca, we will discuss which course of treatment is most suitable for you and then proceed to book in your appointments
During the initial consultation, you will receive a full brief outlining what to expect during treatment to ensure you go into every appointment with all the information you need.
We are located at Dallington Fitness on Poyntz Lane with free parking and a comfortable waiting area, ensuring your experience is as nice as possible!
3. The follow up
We ask that all patients return for a follow up appointment to check on the progress of your treatment. We typically ask you to wait 6 weeks before your follow up to ensure the treated lesion has adequate downtime for proper healing.
Who will be carrying out your consultation and blemish removal?
Larissa Warren will be the leading practitioner reviewing and treating your skin blemish. With decades of experience and knowledge in skin health, she is extremely well versed in treatments like verruca removal so you can trust you’re in good hands.
You can find her contact details below if you have any questions at any stage of the process.
Before & After
Take a look at the incredible results we’ve achieved for our clients with verrucas.
